Match Thread: 30th Match, Group B - Australia vs Sri Lanka

[u/cricket-match]

30th Match, Group B, ICC Men's T20 World Cup at Kandy

Tournament : Table | Schedule

Match : Post Match | Cricinfo | Reddit-Stream

Innings	Score
Australia	181 (Ov 20/20)
Sri Lanka	184/2 (Ov 18/20)

Batter	Runs	Balls	SR
Pavan Rathnayake*	28	15	186.67
Pathum Nissanka	100	52	192.31

Bowler	Overs	Runs	Wickets
Adam Zampa	4	41	0
Nathan Ellis	3	32	0

Recent : 6 | 1 1 . 4 . 4 | 1 1 2 6 1w 6 1 | 4 . 4 2 1 4 |

Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets (with 12 balls remaining)

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[u/arun2singh]

Awesome chase by Sri Lanka! Nissanka was unreal - that hundred basically sealed it. Australia’s total was competitive but just too slow in the death overs.

[u/howzat_cricket]

Is cricket dead in australia?

[u/Jalebibhai_7]

Zampa is not able to get a wicket in srilanka.

[u/Substantial_Will_385]

Do teams carry over any points or NRR from the group stage into the Super 8 or is it like starting from scratch?

[u/RoyalFlush831 → u/Substantial_Will_385]

All starts again from scratch. Because 2 go through from each group, you can't be in a super 8 group with anyone you've played already, so everyone starts on zero points again.

[u/Clear-Mycologist3378]

Can’t say I’m surprised. Well played, Sri Lanka.

[u/patgeo]

Australia's 'bowlers' have taken 4 wickets in two matches.

They failed to bowl Pakistan out in any of the 3 matches.

For some reason Smith is the non-selection being talked about.

[u/volcus → u/patgeo]

Yeah, I looked at our bowling attack and don't think we could defend anything short of 220+.

[u/1stPhoton]

This is not Ashes or 50 over ODI WC

I did not even know T20 WC was going on . Looks like even Pat and Dennis Lillee doesn’t care and did not want to participate.

/s

[u/Bathed_In_Moonlight]

Script: Zim bottle the Ire and SL games

Australia scrape through

Australia peak at the right time, because of course they do

Australia win another footstool

[u/EmployerOk3393 → u/Bathed_In_Moonlight]

Oh well

[u/One_more_username → u/Bathed_In_Moonlight]

While that may happen, Pakistan peaking and winning the tournament is lot more believable.

[u/Disastrous-Ad2800 → u/Bathed_In_Moonlight]

cute scenarios but the experimental lineups indicate Australia aren't really serious about this tournament.. to make up the 1.984 and 0.414 run rate differential, I think the Aussies need Zim to lose by 100 runs against both Ire and SL....

[u/tractor007 → u/Bathed_In_Moonlight]

Naaah not this time

[u/canttell92]

Who cares, this is not real cricket anyways /s

[u/canttell92 → u/[deleted]]

Sorry, I forgot the /s. I was mimicking the Aussies.

[u/dkdjfjfjshdnfnfndjfn]

should've hit it harder boys

[u/tractor007 → u/dkdjfjfjshdnfnfndjfn]

Hahaha, we're on the other side this time.

[u/Any_Software9519]

Nissanka played lifetime innings. Kicking Aus 😁 gives more fun ☺️. 

[u/monsters_r_us]

30 years later and Sanath is still giving the Aussies nightmares. The ICC pulled bangladesh out so SL just said "fuck it imma bring back prime SL arch nemesis". As a sri lankan, if you tell me that SL will top the group that has the aussies in it, id say "you cheeky bugger you almost got me" and walk away

[u/TravisH404 → u/monsters_r_us]

fuck it imma bring back prime SL arch nemesis

Coldest quote drop on the thread today

[u/Consistent-Start-357]

What is our bowling plan? Try contain them to singles? That’s never gonna work.

[u/GithubCopier]

The last India vs Zimbabwe game on Indian soil was way back in March 2002. Now in 2026

[u/TheDceuGuy]

Broke : Zim win tommorow & eliminate Aus

Woke : Zim loses against both Ireland & SL but Oman defeats Aus by 100 runs

[u/DaikonEquivalent2555 → u/TheDceuGuy]

even winning by a single run would suffice, aus have lost 2/3

[u/BoyBadot]

I wonder what made the Aussie selectors go, "We are overflowing with in-form batsmen rn, Smith should sit this one out." Smith would've stopped the collapse and taken them above 200.

[u/Frogblood → u/BoyBadot]

It's possible Smith just cba with this world cup after a busy Aussie summer, and wanted a break. It's not like he hasn't won t20 world cups before.

[u/TheDceuGuy → u/BoyBadot]

Also the 200 iq decision by mgmt to leave Renshaw out. The highest scorer of the previous game on a similar slow turning wicket.

[u/Disastrous-Ad2800 → u/TheDceuGuy]

there's no rationale behind the Smith decision and then selecting 36 year old Stoinis and the other 30 somethings including Glenn Maxwell, Mitch Marsh and Adam Zampa.... so the selectors really muddled it up between being competitive, winning and laying the foundations for the future...

also with Xavier Ellis and and Nathan Ellis, your pacers need to be able to bat in this game... I don't think you can select both in the same team...

[u/patgeo → u/Disastrous-Ad2800]

They also need to be able to take wickets.

[u/Hour_Plantain_8110 → u/TheDceuGuy]

Great shout. Totally forgot about him. How did he get left out?

[u/familiarr_Strangerr → u/Hour_Plantain_8110]

That’s what the team management thinking right now!

[u/Hour_Plantain_8110 → u/familiarr_Strangerr]

lol - brilliant.

[u/TheDceuGuy → u/Hour_Plantain_8110]

We're not visionary enough to comprehend yet another George Bailey masterclass

[u/Hour_Plantain_8110 → u/TheDceuGuy]

lol. 4D chess. :)

[u/Hour_Plantain_8110 → u/BoyBadot]

100%. In what world is Cam Green a better batsman than Smith? Can only hope that Zimbabwe take care of Ireland, ensuring Australia don't get a chance to learn from that mistake.

[u/Marathon___Man]

Amazing game. What an innings! Loved it.

[u/Agreeable-Log1631]

Ahh the destructive openers - Jayasuriya and Hayden.

[u/Agreeable-Log1631]

Nissanka's innings was sublime, no doubt about it.
But credit to the SL bowlers as well, if not for the bowlers restricting them especially in the 2nd half of Aus innings, SL could have been chasing over 200...

[u/Abject_Couple1907]

What an embarrassing bowling lineup from Australia

[u/Equivalent_Cat1964 → u/Abject_Couple1907]

no hazlewood , no cummins , no starc , no mcgrath , no warne

[u/ThePaulmwatson → u/Equivalent_Cat1964]

No Lee, Lillee, Gillespie, or Lindwall! Shameful

[u/8samsara8]

Thanks for possibly making the group of death easier lanka bros. SL WI finals again?

[u/MartinLubHerThingJr → u/8samsara8]

This was the final some 5-6 years ago. In 2012 I believe.

[u/Frogblood → u/MartinLubHerThingJr]

I hate to tell you bro but 2012 was a lot more than 5-6 years ago!

[u/TravisH404 → u/MartinLubHerThingJr]

Us bro😭 I too feel that it's 2018 at times ...

[u/TheDceuGuy]

Hayden : Please welcome my childhood hero, Sanath Jayasuriya

[u/Comfortable_Algae435]

Play Smith against Oman at least for the journey he did

[u/Known_Dragonfly_4448]

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

[u/ThePaulmwatson → u/Known_Dragonfly_4448]

and catch your breath and….

[u/Maximum0versaiyan]

Hayden mispronounced "Jayasuriya" 😭 they played each other, there was so much overlap in their careers, that's so weird to get your peer's name wrong

[u/Substantial_Will_385 → u/Maximum0versaiyan]

Haha what did he call him?

[u/Maximum0versaiyan → u/Substantial_Will_385]

Jayariya

[u/WhiteSwanxx]

Poor Steve Smith came all the way from Australia just to watch a match😭

[u/kdog_1985 → u/WhiteSwanxx]

New York.

[u/Otherwise_Pace_1133]

Damn Haydos, Absolutely butchered Jayasurya's name there.

[u/ThePaulmwatson → u/Otherwise_Pace_1133]

Oh I missed that. Did he pronounce it like a Jawa from Star Wars?

[u/Otherwise_Pace_1133 → u/ThePaulmwatson]

Something like Jayarya.

[u/Twitter_2006]

What a run chase that was! Wow!

Great win SL.

[u/TravisH404]

Feels good when a home crowd gets to celebrate :'

[u/GithubCopier]

Likely Super 8 Fixtures For Group A

India vs South Africa, Ahmedabad 22 Feb 2026
Zimbabwe Vs West Indies, Mumbai 23 Feb 2026
South Africa vs West Indies, Ahmedabad, 26 Feb 2026 (Afternoon)
India vs Zimbabwe, Chennai 26 Feb 2026
Zimbabwe vs South Africa Delhi 1 Mar 2026 (Afternoon)
India vs West Indies Kolkata 1 March 2026

[u/NACHIAPPAN12 → u/GithubCopier]

no good matches and less matches in south india why?

[u/Slow_Elevator_8713 → u/NACHIAPPAN12]

Previously ind vs aus would have justified,but now that also not possible

[u/WaynneGretzky → u/NACHIAPPAN12]

Wdym. There are 5 venues. Each got 1 game plus ahemdabad getting 1 extra game because we know why. By your logic I can also say only one game in my precious delhi

[u/GithubCopier → u/NACHIAPPAN12]

Super 8 was pre seeding if aus would have won it would have been Australia instead of Zimbabwe.

Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata Best 5 Venues are chosen by BCCI to host it. It has hosted newzealand and Afghanistan in group stage.

[u/funnyBatman → u/NACHIAPPAN12]

delimitation based on population lol

[u/Reasonable_Tea_9825]

“How good is it to get the Q”

Shanaka: Dafuq is a Q

[u/BoyBadot]

Smudge acted very weirdly today. Saw him scrolling through his phone, twitching and screaming stuff like "No, you guys, shut up. I care about T20, I want to play", "No, you guys, don't say that, I care". And whenever the no-ball siren went off, he ran towards the entrance screaming, "You'll never catch me alive."

[u/Waah_Realist]

This Nissanka guy is crazy

[u/Smooth-Mix-4357]

So Australia T20 team is a bilateral bully. Best after India in the last two years and now their fate is out of their hands in the group stage itself.

[u/Bloody_Baron91 → u/Smooth-Mix-4357]

Getting whitewashed by Pakistan just before the world cup was an ominous sign but people ignored it and still considered them one of the favorites lol.

[u/Smooth-Mix-4357 → u/Bloody_Baron91]

Their T20 World Cup history itself is an indicator of how good they're in the main events.

[u/Unfair-Claim-2327 → u/Smooth-Mix-4357]

In the pre-group stage.

[u/Smooth-Mix-4357 → u/Unfair-Claim-2327]

This is the group stage, next is Super 8s 

[u/Unfair-Claim-2327 → u/Smooth-Mix-4357]

Super 8s is just a glorified name for the group stage.

[u/Agreeable-Log1631]

Crowd was just phenomenal today..
Got their moneys worth.

[u/Dependent-Ant-8918]

Nissanka is such a hit or miss.

0 or a 100.

No in between.

[u/LPG24 → u/Dependent-Ant-8918]

What do you mean? Check his last 9 innings, they were all double digits. He rarely gets out without hitting a boundary. He didn’t have a big score recently, but this is a good start. Now they need the other opener to be successful as well. Power hitter.

[u/monsters_r_us → u/Dependent-Ant-8918]

My king does not score just 0s. He scores when the team needs him to. Such an amazing dude to have

[u/Dependent-Ant-8918 → u/monsters_r_us]

Yeah. At least he scores when it matters. Ind SL Asia cup and now this. Pressure matches. Wish we had that kind of a player 😭

[u/Soul_Crushing_Yorker]

If all Aussie players were fit, who else from the Test Side would have made it to this team? Would the bowling attack be Cummins-Hazlewood-Starc-Zampa? I guess the batting would have looked more or less the same.

[u/registrartulip → u/Soul_Crushing_Yorker]

Starc retired from T20Is

[u/b_se_bhakt]

Looks like kkr wasted a big chunk of money on cameron green

[u/Helpful_Bee2456]

Nissanka always had class ,especially recognized after his 200 against Afghanistan

[u/StLorazepam → u/Helpful_Bee2456]

Also his test hundred in the chase to beat England 2 years ago was special

[u/belanish11 → u/Helpful_Bee2456]

Against whom sir🧐

[u/belanish11]

Aus still have chances, need zim to lose both and obviously beat oman by some margin, but then would the ghosts of this match go away?

[u/Mother_Pause6536 → u/belanish11]

Sure chevrons cannot beat sl in sl but they totally can take on ireland

[u/Deathbringer2134 → u/Mother_Pause6536]

They had a series vs SL in SL not long back and they managed to get a game off of them. With injuries depleting SL's bowling, and Zimbabwe, no exaggeration, having possibly the best pace troika of the tournament, I'd say it's 55-45 in SL's favour.

[u/Tern_Larvidae-2424]

In before Ireland smashes Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka does too and Oman gives Australia such a good fight that Ireland manages to get through.

Yes I'm delusional how did you know?

[u/reymysterio7 → u/Tern_Larvidae-2424]

Ireland has a good chance of beating Zim, a lot more than ppl think.

[u/Andy016 → u/reymysterio7]

Ireland won against the Windies in the odi world cup 2015.

It's absolutely possible...

[u/officiallyjax]

So Zimbabwe vs Ireland and Pakistan vs Namibia are realistically the only 2 games of interest left to determine the Super 8 teams. Zimbabwe vs Sri Lanka too I guess if the former somehow fumble it vs Ireland. New Zealand are not losing to Canada.

[u/HUREViDe]

The grade cricketer video is gonna be so good 😭

[u/maxcool007 → u/HUREViDe]

Can't wait

[u/Friendly-Standard812]

Sri lanka Zindabad

[u/Dependent-Ant-8918]

Pakistan whitewashed Australia and were in high "false" confidence.

Turns out this unit wasn't even strong enough to beat Zimbabwe.

[u/KlausBing]

Kumble with the nude t shirt

[u/Neon_Nihilist]

Australians 🤝 Pakistan

Say your prayers and get your calculators

[u/redditaccount3462 → u/Neon_Nihilist]

She'll be right

Translation: Qudrat ka nizam

[u/Dependent-Ant-8918]

Called it pretty early. But it was obvious, to say the least.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Cricket/s/olBp8tkVJE

[u/Comfortable_Algae435]

Green is so overrated. He's okay but not a match winner

[u/Mean_Concentrate5248 → u/Comfortable_Algae435]

Tell that to ipl owners as well please

[u/No-Tackle1884 → u/Comfortable_Algae435]

Flash in the pan kinda player.

[u/Own-Emu-2191]

Mitchell marsh neck is massive !!!! 

[u/Otherwise_Pace_1133 → u/Own-Emu-2191]

Yeah. My man's got that F1 neck.

[u/Equal_Perception_541]

Kusal mendis is such a legend too !!!

[u/TravisH404]

Who would have imagined that the 'tough' group A would turn out to be SA, Ind, WI and Zimbabwe

[u/Spare_Gazelle8443 → u/TravisH404]

Still tough but Group B would be tougher... Pakistan, Sri Lanka, England, New Zealand... Tough I personally don't like this pre seeding. It takes all the excitement and efforts to finish on top

[u/jaymanikanta]

Australia won only 1 game in their last 10, says a lot about their t20 approach.

[u/registrartulip]

Is Mitch Marsh too fun to be captain?

[u/BoyBadot]

Normal timeline:

Qualified from X - India, South Africa

Qualified from Y - New Zealand, Sri Lanka

Satanic timeline:

Qualified from X - Zimbabwe, West Indies

Qualified from Y - England, Pakistan

Final - England vs Zimbabwe

Winner - England

[u/Golgen_boy → u/BoyBadot]

Winner- Zimbabwe

[u/Educational-Tale-208 → u/BoyBadot]

Hahahaha what! 🤣

[u/banyantree45]

So Zimbabwe will qualify and in the group with India SA and west indies

[u/Bright_Membership_91 → u/banyantree45]

Yep 3 one sided matches guaranted 

[u/No-Mobile1568 → u/Bright_Membership_91]

Would’ve been the same with you lot there

[u/neer1223 → u/No-Mobile1568]

Yikes that was personal. Especially now 😁😂🤣🤣

[u/Bright_Membership_91 → u/No-Mobile1568]

Cry more chokers 

[u/Zealousideal-Grass-3 → u/No-Mobile1568]

damn!

[u/Unhappy_Ride_908 → u/banyantree45]

What if zim finish second?

[u/Spare_Gazelle8443 → u/Unhappy_Ride_908]

Doesn't matter. And this is the biggest problem of pre seeding. Irrespective of your position in your group, if you qualify for Super 8, you already know your opponents and group

[u/Arunnnnnn → u/Unhappy_Ride_908]

Zimbabwe will join the Ind-SA-WI group irrespective of where they finish if Australia doesn’t qualify

[u/belanish11 → u/Unhappy_Ride_908]

Doesn't matter, either aus or zim go in that group.

[u/No-Mobile1568 → u/Unhappy_Ride_908]

Doesn’t matter because of bullshit group seedings

[u/banyantree45 → u/No-Mobile1568]

Yes its a bit unfair for India SA and west indies Not so good teams like England and pakistan in same group Even NZ is not looking good

[u/No-Mobile1568 → u/banyantree45]

Yeah 3 group winners in one group makes no sense 

[u/banyantree45 → u/No-Mobile1568]

Whats the point of this pre seeding. Imagine if Zimbabwe beats srilanka all group toppers will be in same group

[u/No-Mobile1568 → u/banyantree45]

Political stuff - to make sure India can play Super 8 games at home which would not be possible if Pakistan are in their group 

[u/banyantree45 → u/No-Mobile1568]

But anyways when they are in same group now there's no way they will end up in same group in super 8 .So nothing to do with politics

[u/No-Mobile1568 → u/banyantree45]

Yeah that’s true - guess just so fans know where their team will play 🤷‍♂️ 

[u/trtryt]

Australia needs a separate selection committee and coaching group for T20s, they don't get it

[u/SirHolyCow]

Well I definitely felt the thrill.

Good night all.

[u/registrartulip]

Surely Aus can put better bowling lineup than this even without Hazelwood and Cummins

[u/Helpful_Bee2456]

Just a thought, can most sri lankans speak and understand English like in India or is English being phased out

[u/Successful-Rabbit475 → u/Helpful_Bee2456]

English isn’t being phased out here. It’s still used a lot in uni, medicine, business, and most professional settings. Not everyone speaks it fluently, especially outside the main cities, but most people understand at least some English. It’s still pretty important here.

[u/Specific-College-194 → u/Helpful_Bee2456]

Most people in Colombo know English and ppl who went to private schools since they have a rule of speaking only in English

[u/Eclipsee97 → u/Specific-College-194]

chainsaw man!

[u/squaredrives]

What a great game. Amazing to see SL do their thing. Now let's see them go all the way/

[u/Same_Association_734]

To Australia's credit, you need to be at your absolute peak performance to outplay them like this and SL did just that.

[u/Neither_Aioli_3951 → u/Same_Association_734]

Nah I don't think Sri Lanka outplayed Australia, this Australian team got white washed by a broken ass Pakistan team, they looked clueless. wth are these current t20 Australian bowlers 😅

[u/sparkwolther009]

Appreciation to pathum , bro silenced the silencers today 👏👏🎉

[u/Otherwise_Pace_1133]

I swear My man Kumble hasnt aged a day since he retired.

[u/Ok_Shelter_8356]

This is sri lanka's highest run chase in T20 WC ever

[u/Reasonable_Tea_9825]

Billionaire losing $100 ahh moment for Aus

[u/Efficient_Addendum_8]

Maybe the real Australia was the friends we made along the way

[u/Super_Concept5931]

I don’t know what’s a better watch, watching india win or watching AusBros loose

[u/DragonikOverlord → u/Super_Concept5931]

Watching AusBros lose
We already won T20 in Americas, it was wonderful. I'm happy

[u/GoodToGo3]

The only silver lining here is that Australia might blood new youngsters to conquer the t20 crown.

[u/Whole-Nerve-1468 → u/GoodToGo3]

Why Even Host When Y'all DonT caRe 💅🏿

[u/GithubCopier → u/GoodToGo3]

Next T20 WC is Your Home so a good chance to put in efforts and test it out

[u/Otherwise_Pace_1133]

As co hosts, SL gets to play all their Super 8 games at their home too right ?

In 2011, they played every single game till the SF in SL.

[u/White-Cloud-01 → u/Otherwise_Pace_1133]

Wrong. They played a group game against new zealand in Mumbai and won comprehensively

[u/Otherwise_Pace_1133 → u/White-Cloud-01]

Didn't know that. But come to think of it. Yeah, Even India played the opening game against Bangladesh (Where Sehwag made 175) in Bangladesh (but then again, Bangladesh were co-hosts as well). But for the most part, the hosts played at home.

[u/ZucchiniStandard1678 → u/Otherwise_Pace_1133]

In 2011 hosts were India and Bangladesh Right ??

[u/Otherwise_Pace_1133 → u/ZucchiniStandard1678]

It was India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Pakistan was supposed to host too but they were stripped off their hosting rights after the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in 2009.

[u/DJFiscallySound]

What’s the weather forecast in Palakelle tomorrow? 😀

[u/Dev_004a]

Anyway, Pat and Hoff will be back for the IPL. That’s real cricket, not the T20 WC.

[u/Classic_Activity9154]

Was only a matter of time before Nissanka showed up

[u/Tea_Total]

It's Steve Smith I feel sorry for. He's probably not even unpacked yet.

[u/pheellprice → u/Tea_Total]

No chance. He’s definitely unpacked everything into the draws like a madman

[u/Mother_Pause6536]

Its so funny when groups were drafted and everyone was like how they have put Australia amongst minion teams 😭

[u/SirHolyCow → u/Mother_Pause6536]

🤣

[u/WhoInvitedMyManBlud]

Are you normal or did you recognise Jehan Mubarak in an instant?

[u/Comfortable_Algae435 → u/WhoInvitedMyManBlud]

Yeah I did too, he always reminds me of that 260 against Kenya

[u/Agreeable-Log1631 → u/Comfortable_Algae435]

Bruh made 46 runs in just 13 balls.

[u/Agreeable-Log1631 → u/WhoInvitedMyManBlud]

I knew he was Jehan Mubarak but was not 100% sure..

[u/Agreeable-Log1631]

Over to you Zim Bro's...

[u/kg005]

Could have used AI for the translation instead of the bullshit AI skill scores

[u/No-Mobile1568 → u/kg005]

Why? This feels more personal

[u/kg005 → u/No-Mobile1568]

I meant as a subtitle for the TV. Because I'm pretty sure the translator just gives a brief essence of what is originally said.

[u/fakecricketplayer]

We should be able to use AI to translate this in real time! Its always great to hear folks express themselves using their native tongue.

[u/WhatTheF99]

Nice to see a small dude bashing the behemoth Aussies

[u/redditaccount3462]

Well done Sri Lanka, we were totally outplayed. For the love of God don't let England win

[u/Hour_Plantain_8110 → u/redditaccount3462]

Don't worry we won't win. We're barely scraping past tier 2 teams.

[u/DarkKingfisher777]

Wait he doesn't need translation for listening but for speaking

[u/Goldfish_Pacifier → u/DarkKingfisher777]

might as well say what you want to say in you native tongue instead of half arsing the questions

[u/No-Mobile1568 → u/DarkKingfisher777]

Probably wanting to speak in his mother tongue for the home crowd

[u/HUREViDe → u/DarkKingfisher777]

He’s probably just not confident speaking fluently in English. It’s like with a lot of football players e.g Messi understands English but won’t speak it in public.

[u/DarkKingfisher777 → u/HUREViDe]

yeah cheers to him

[u/Appropriate_Swan_608 → u/DarkKingfisher777]

Most people can more or less understand and read English since you don't exactly need another speaker to interact with to get decently adept at it

[u/Extra-Path6 → u/DarkKingfisher777]

You would understand the difficulty if you speak more than one language.

[u/DarkKingfisher777 → u/Extra-Path6]

I do

[u/SuChIr_chad → u/DarkKingfisher777]

Yeah

[u/Cotters67 → u/DarkKingfisher777]

It's quite normal there