Colombo [Sri Lanka], February 17: Australia's hopes of reaching the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup are all but over after Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka hit a brilliant unbeaten 100 to condemn them to an eight-wicket defeat in Pallekele.
Stunned by Zimbabwe in their second outing on Friday, Australia needed a win to keep their qualification fate in their own hands but it is Sri Lanka who march into the next round.
For Australia to sneak through as the second-placed team from their group, they now need Zimbabwe to lose both of their remaining matches against Ireland and Sri Lanka and then to defeat Oman themselves which would bring net run-rate into play.
Australia's predicament came from their inability to convert a good start from their openers Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh as they set the home side a target of 182 after a collapse in the second half of their innings.
Despite the feeling Sri Lanka could have a complicated chase on their hands because of a pitch which was slowing down, they eased to victory with the Australian bowling attack lacking any bite in the absence of injured Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.
And the Sri Lanka duo of Nissanka and Kusal Mendis took full advantage.
With wicketkeeper Mendis providing perfect support with a composed 51 from 38 balls, Nissanka brought up his century in 52 balls to take his side past the finish line with an innings that blended brute power and finesse.
Australia had Marsh return after recovering from a groin injury that forced him out of the first two matches and the returning skipper gave his side a solid platform batting alongside Head, who hit a long-overdue half-century off 27 balls.
They powered Australia to 104-0 in 8.2 overs before Head departed for 59 and it marked the beginning of dramatic downturn.
Rashid takes unusual
700th wicket
Rashid Khan claimed his 700th T20 wicket in unusual circumstances as Afghanistan kept their faint World Cup hopes alive with a five-wicket victory over United Arab Emirates.
The leg-spinner achieved the milestone with a mode of dismissal which has not featured in any of his 699 previous victims - hit wicket.
UAE batter Muhammad Arfan attempted to reverse sweep a delivery from the Afghanistan captain in the 15th over but ended up clipping the stumps with his bat.
The wicket was Rashid's 191st in T20 internationals and combined with his List A domestic T20 tally of 509 victims helped him become the first player to achieve the feat.
It is the only time in 11,794 balls bowled in T20 cricket that the 27-year-old has claimed a wicket in this manner.
England beat fighting Italy
England were given another major fright but held off tournament debutants Italy by 24 runs to secure a place in the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup.
Scores:
Australia 181 all out (20 overs): Head 56 (29); Hemantha 3-37 vs Sri Lanka 184-2 (18 overs): Nissanka 100* (52), Kusal Mendis 51 (38).
England 202-7 (20 overs): Jacks 53* (22), Banton 30 (21); Kalugamage 2-41 vs Italy 178 (20 overs): B Manenti 60 (25) Stewart 45 (23); Overton 3-18.
UAE 160-9 (20 overs): Sohaib 68 (48); Omarzai 4-15 vs Afghanistan 162-5 (19.2 overs): Zadran 53 (41); Omarzai 40* (21); Arfan 2-30.
Source: Qatar Tribune
