Pallekele, February 16 Travis Head and captain Mitchell Marsh both scored attractive half-centuries, but Sri Lanka bowled Australia out for 181 in a must-win T20 World Cup group league match here on Monday.
Marsh, who was playing his first match of the tournament, smashed 54 off 27 balls and added 104 with an equally aggressive Head, who scored 56 off 29 balls.
However, a collapse saw Australia reduced to 130 for 4 from 108 for no loss, with Head, Marsh, Cameron Green, and Tim David all getting out in quick succession, and they never recovered.
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 each.
Brief Scores: Australia 181 all out (Travis Head 56, Mitchell Marsh 54, Dushan Hemantha 3/37) vs Sri Lanka.
