Kandy, Kandy, Kandy ... Australia "devastated" after being beaten by Sri Lanka

PL reports on Australia's loss to Sri Lanka overnight

Australia 181 (20 overs). Sri Lanka 2-184 (18 overs)

Australia has been smashed by Sri Lanka overnight thanks to a 52-ball century from Pathum Nissanka that will be long remembered.

The Australians now must rely on results to retain any hope of avoiding an ignominious early exit from the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Mitch Marsh said later they are a “devastated group” who are now “in the lap of the gods”.

Asked to bat first, Australia’s opening pair, Marsh and Head, hit individual half-centuries, and put on 104 to have the visitors on course for a post-200 total in the must-win match, but the hosts, who are playing some very good cricket, managed grab a sliver of their opponents’ shirt tail, hang on and restrict them to 181.

The Australians were bettered by their opponents, whose comeback in the second half of the innings was triggered by Dushan Hemantha’s three critical wickets and crowned by Dushmantha Chameera, who conceded just four extras in the last over.

Still, it was an imposing total and more than Sri Lanka had ever scored at home, but it was one they achieved with two overs to spare.

Marcus Stoinis, asked to bowl the second over after Xavier Bartlett bowled the first, made a breakthrough, removing Kilsan Perera (1).

Kusal Mendis (51 from 38) and Pathum Nissanka (100 from 52), however, put on a 97-run second-wicket partnership to keep the Sri Lankans on pace early and ready to launch later.

Missing the firepower of the injured Pat Cummins (injured), Josh Hazlewood (injured) and Mitchell Starc (sick of it), Australia’s bowling attack looks understandably anaemic, and nobody had any answers for the questions posed by Nissanka.