Mumbai: Pathum Nissanka took a few paces back as his compatriot Dushan Hemantha sent in a slightly over-pitched delivery. Nissanka, standing at backward point, had spotted Glenn Maxwell changing sides to get into a left-hander’s stance and try a switch-hit over what would be the third-man fielding position for a right-hander.
Two quick paces to his left, and Nissanka launched himself into a dive, stretching every sinew to take an astounding catch.
That catch was taken just a few minutes after he had put down a skier from Maxwell. But in his moment of redemption, he effectively marked the downward spiral of the Australia innings.
Just over an hour later, he removed his helmet and held a finger to his lips to celebrate his 52-ball century — the first of this tournament as a whole, as he led Sri Lanka to a commanding eight-wicket win over Australia in their Group B match of the T20 World Cup at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy.
What the win did was send Sri Lanka through to the Super 8 stage of the competition, and left Australia’s fate in the hands of Ireland and Sri Lanka.
There were a few raised eyebrows as captain Dasun Shanaka decided his team would field first. And in the early exchanges, it seemed like the hosts were in for a rough day with Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh giving Australia an incredible start.
There was no respite for the Sri Lanka bowlers who were sent to all parts of the ground as the Australians put on an unbeaten 100-run partnership in 8.2 overs. It marked the fifth time an Australian opening pair had put on a century stand at T20 World Cups.
Along the way Sri Lanka lost their lead-bowler Matheesha Pathirana to a hamstring injury in the third over.
But once the breakthrough came, with Head (54 off 27 balls) and Marsh (56 from 29) being dismissed, Australia started to crumble.
Cameron Green and Tim David were out early. Then came a brief resistance from Josh Inglis (27 from 22) and Maxwell (22 off 15). None of the remaining batters managed to add much to the total as Australia were eventually bowled out for 181.
And this in a game Australia needed to win to keep hopes alive to make it to the Super 8. But it turned out to be an innings of two different halves. In the first 50 balls, Australia put on 104 runs without losing a wicket. In the last 70, they scored 77 and lost 10. Apart from Head, Marsh, Inglis and Maxwell, no other player got into double digits.
Yet Australia, based on the work of the openers, managed to put on a fighting total. It would need Sri Lanka to earn their highest chase at home for the win.
It didn’t start well though, as opener Kusal Perera handed Nathan Ellis a straight-forward catch off Marcus Stoinis’ bowling. Down 8/1 in the second over, Nissanka was joined at the crease by Kusal Mendis and steadily they started to get their team back in the hunt.
Mendis played some solid attacking shots while Nissanka used the pace of the Australian bowlers to guide his strokes to the fence.
Mendis, getting to 50 in 35 deliveries, became the fifth player (after Mahela Jayawardene, Virat Kohli, Babar Azam and KL Rahul) to score three-consecutive T20 World Cup half-centuries. Nissanka reached the milestone a few deliveries later.
The duo stitched together an important 97-run partnership when Mendis was dismissed for 51 (from 38 balls).
With Pavan Rathnayake alongside, Nissanka continued to score with impeccably timed shots that pierced gaps in the field.
After the drinks break in the 14th over though, the 27-year-old from Colombo decided to change gears.
Stoinis pitched back of a length but in line with the stumps to deny Nissanka much room. But the Sri Lankan opener got onto the front foot early, found the sweet-spot on his bat and pulled the ball for a massive six over mid-wicket in the 15th over.
If Australia hoped to get back into the game, Nissanka had decided to tighten the screws. From using the pace of the bowlers and timing his shots, Nissanka started to create his own power as he hammered the bowlers.
He took 32 balls to get to his half-century. Then reached his century from the next 20 balls he faced.
“I was just waiting for the ball to come to my strength,” he said in Sinhalese, after receiving the Player of the Match award. “I was happy that I got several of those balls to my strength and hit them to the boundaries.”
He hit 10 fours and five sixes as he led Sri Lanka to the next stage.
As for Australia, they will hope Ireland can do them a favour by beating Zimbabwe by a heavy margin.
