In a stunning turn of events at the 2026 T20 World Cup, Sri Lanka secured their place in the Super Eights by defeating Australia by eight wickets, leaving the former champions on the brink of elimination. Pathum Nissanka played a pivotal role in this victory, scoring an unbeaten century (100 not out off 52 balls) which included five sixes and ten fours. Sri Lanka chased down Australia's total of 181 runs, reaching 184-2 in just 18 overs. This match marked Nissanka as the first Sri Lankan to score two hundreds in T20 internationals, and his performance was crucial in turning the tide for Sri Lanka, who had previously faced a 3-0 defeat against England before the tournament. "Very happy to score a hundred in a World Cup. It had been one of my dreams to be honest," Nissanka expressed after the match (Business Recorder).