Pathum Nissanka produced a moment of brilliance in the field to dismiss Glenn Maxwell during the T20 World Cup 2026 clash against Australia in Pallekele.
On the first ball of the 17th over, Maxwell attempted a reverse sweep off leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha but failed to keep it down. Positioned at backward point, Nissanka reacted swiftly — leaping to his left to pull off a stunning catch and send Maxwell back for 22 off 15 balls.
Australia eventually posted 181 after a blazing start. Captain Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head laid the perfect platform with a commanding 104-run opening partnership. Head smashed 56 off 29 deliveries before his dismissal triggered a shift in momentum.
Sri Lanka capitalised on the breakthrough, striking at regular intervals to pull things back. Marsh brought up his half-century, but the hosts tightened their grip in the latter stages. Hemantha was the standout performer with figures of 3/37 in four overs. Dushmantha Chameera claimed two wickets, while Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage and Kamindu Mendis chipped in with one wicket each.
Reflecting on the innings, Head said:
“The powerplay was really important for us. As the innings goes on, hopefully it deteriorates. It’s always the easiest time to bat against the new ball. Nice to get off to a start and nice to have Mitch back. The partnership rolled along. One of us would’ve liked to go on with it, but that’s the game. We’ve got ourselves a score. I think you can see that there’s a bit of spin there, and as the ball gets softer, it all happens quickly. But, yeah, we’ve got a bit of time now to debrief that and communicate what we thought went well for them.”
