Pallekele: Travis Head and skipper Mitchell Marsh hit attractive half-centuries, but Sri Lanka bowled Australia out for 181 in a must-win T20 World Cup group league fixture Monday.
Marsh, who was playing his first match of the tournament, smashed 54 off 27 balls and added 104 in only 8.3 overs with an equally rampaging Head, whose contribution was 56 off 29 balls.
However, a collapse saw Australia being reduced to 130 for 4 from 108 for no loss with Head, Marsh, Cameron Green and Tim David all departing in quick succession and never recovered from that.
In the last two overs, Australia lost four wickets for six runs.
For Sri Lanka, leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha took 3/37 while left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage and Kamindu Mendis also got a wicket apiece.
Brief Scores:
Australia 181 all out (Travis Head 56, Mitchell Marsh 54, Dushan Hemantha 3/37) vs SL.
