Australia vs Sri Lanka, 30th Match, Group B, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. This high-stakes clash takes place on February 16, 2026, at 7:00 PM IST (local time 6:30 PM at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy, Sri Lanka).
A win here catapults Sri Lanka to six points and locks in their Super 8s spot in the T20 World Cup, turning early promise into real momentum. Australia, sitting third in Group B after a shock loss to Zimbabwe, can’t afford another slip—their top-order woes and missing firepower make this feel like a must-win to stay alive. Both sides know Pallekele’s history of thrillers, like Sri Lanka’s famous chase against Australia here in 2022.
Pallekele starts batter-friendly with true bounce and pace for powerplay fireworks, often seeing first-innings scores around 170-180. It slows later, gripping for spinners like Maheesh Theekshana and Adam Zampa who could dominate the middle overs. Weather looks cloudy with temperatures near 29°C (feels like 33°C), east winds at 9 km/h, and a 67% chance of light showers—but no major disruptions expected.
AUS vs SL Match Details
- Match: Australia vs Sri Lanka, 30th Match
- Teams: AUS vs SL
- Date: 16 Feb 2026
- Time: 6:30 PM 1:30 PM GMT / 7:00 PM LOCAL
- Venue: R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo
T20 World 2026 Live Streaming Info
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 kicks off on February 7, 2026, and wraps up with the final on March 8, 2026. Hosted across India and Sri Lanka with 20 teams, it spans about a month—group stages from early February, Super 8s mid-month, semis late February/early March, and the final in Colombo or Mumbai.
- In India, tune into Star Sports Network (Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2) or stream on Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema.
- Pakistan viewers can watch on PTV Sports, A Sports, or Ten Sports, with streaming available on Tapmad and Tamasha.
- For Sri Lanka, options include SLRC, Channel Eye, and Siyatha TV on TV, plus Sri Lanka Cricket YouTube and Dialog ViU online.
- UK fans have Sky Sports Cricket, TNT Sports 1, and talkSPORT on television, alongside Sky Go, Discovery+, and NOW TV for streaming.
- In South Africa, SuperSport covers it on TV and via their app.
- Australia might check Fox Sports for TV and Kayo Sports for live streams.
- USA and Canada: Willow TV on TV, Sling TV or Willow HD app for streaming.
- New Zealand: Sky Sport NZ on TV and Sky Go app.
- Bangladesh: Gazi TV (GTV) and Rabith BD app.
- Afghanistan: RTA Sport and Ariana TV.
Rest of the world: ICC.tv for free streaming where no local rights holder exists. Subscriptions often apply, and VPNs can assist with geo-blocks where permitted.
How to Watch the Match for Free:
Catch every boundary without paying via these official free options, perfect for fans in Pakistan and beyond.
Pakistan: PTV Sports broadcasts all matches live for free on TV via terrestrial, cable, and satellite—no subscription needed.
Live Streaming Info:
The 30th T20 World Cup match will be live on Willow Cricket.
Live Score Info:
AUS Probable XI: Travis Head (c), Josh Inglis (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Renshaw, Cameron Green, Tim David, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa, Cooper Connolly, Nathan Ellis, Matthew Kuhnemann.
SL Probable XI: Pathum Nissanka, Pavan Rathnayake, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dasun Shanaka (c), Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana.
Head-to-Head
Australia lead Sri Lanka 16-10 in 26 T20Is, with no no-results. Aussies have dominated lately, but Sri Lanka pulled off a stunner at this very ground. Last five meetings: Australia won by 7 wickets (Perth, Oct 2022), Sri Lanka by 4 wickets (Kandy, Jun 2022), Australia by 3 wickets (Colombo, Jun 2022), Australia by 10 wickets (Colombo, Jun 2022), Sri Lanka by 5 wickets (Melbourne, Feb 2022).
Sri Lanka Analysis
Sri Lanka are flying high, kicking off with a 29-run win over Ireland and a dominant 105-run thrashing of Oman—bowlers strangled the opposition while openers fired. Strengths lie in their spin-heavy attack and home comfort at Pallekele, where they’ve posted 225 before. Weaknesses? Middle-order fragility if early wickets tumble, and pace relies on fitness. Key players: Kusal Mendis (back-to-back fifties), Maheesh Theekshana (5 wickets already), Dasun Shanaka’s finishing nous.
Australia Analysis
Australia beat Ireland but stumbled chasing 170 against Zimbabwe, exposing top-order inconsistencies and injury-hit bowling. Their power-hitting depth—Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis—remains a weapon, but spin vulnerability on turning tracks hurts here. Recent momentum dipped, yet they’ve won most recent T20Is against SL. Standouts: Travis Head’s aggression up top, Adam Zampa’s middle-over control, Tim David’s six-hitting.
Watch Mendis versus Zampa in the engine room—Sri Lanka’s keeper-batter loves pace-on tracks, but Aussies’ leggie exploits grip. Shanaka’s leadership at home adds edge; a repeat of his 54* off 25 here in 2022 could haunt Australia again. Australia’s returnees like Mitchell Marsh (if fit) might shake things up, but Maxwell’s form is pivotal amid their batting wobbles. Home spin could neutralize Australia’s power if dew stays low.
Sri Lanka hold the edge at home on a spin-assisting pitch, riding two wins while Australia’s form falters—expect their bowlers to defend 170ish. Lankans win by 10-15 runs