Day 6 of the T20 World Cup 2026 opened in Kandy where co-hosts Sri Lanka turned up the heat against Oman. A total of 225/5, the highest of this edition, set the tone before the Lankans restricted their opponents to just 120/9 to seal a dominant 105-run win.
The second fixture delivered a milestone of its own. Playing at the Wankhede Stadium, Italy registered their maiden T20 World Cup win and did so emphatically. After bowling Nepal out for 123, the Mosca brothers stitched together an unbeaten 124-run stand to seal a 10-wicket victory in 12.4 overs.
The final game of the day saw India take on Namibia in Delhi. Half-centuries from Hardik Pandya and Ishan Kishan powered India to a dominant total of 209/9. Player of the Match, Pandya then took 2/21 as India bowled out The Eagles for 116 to record a 93-run victory in Delhi.
Here’s a look at the standout performers from an eventful Day 6:
1) Pavan Rathnayake: Sri Lanka’s innings was shaped early by the 23-year-old’s controlled innings. Rathnayake’s 60 off 28 balls combined clean striking with sharp placement, ensuring momentum never dipped.
The youngster reached his half-century in just 24 deliveries, the second-fastest fifty by a Sri Lankan at a T20 World Cup. His innings was a perfect display of placement as much as power, striking eight fours and a six while consistently piercing the gaps in the field.
With Kusal Mendis adding 61 and Dasun Shanaka finishing strongly, Rathnayake’s platform helped produce the fourth-highest total in T20 World Cup history and the highest total of the 2026 edition.
2) Dasun Shanaka: If Rathnayake established control, Shanaka applied force.
The Sri Lankan captain’s 50 came in 19 balls, resetting Sri Lanka’s T20I benchmark for the fastest half-century, a record he had previously held with a 20-ball effort against India in 2023. His knock featured five sixes and two fours, underlining his role as the late-overs enforcer.
The 19-ball fifty is now Sri Lanka’s fastest in T20 Internationals, eclipsing the previous record, a 20-ball half-century that Shanaka himself had registered against India in 2023.
3) Ben Manenti & Crishan Kalugamage: Just days after giving England a mighty scare, Nepal were put to the sword by the Italian bowling duo of Menenti and Kalugamage. Nepal started the game brightly, reaching 45/1 in the powerplay, but Italy’s middle-overs discipline proved decisive.
Kalugamage, named Player of the Match, returned figures of 3 for 18, breaking partnerships at key intervals. Manenti complemented him with a tight spell of 2 for 9 in four overs, applying sustained pressure and limiting boundary options.
Their combined control ensured Nepal never built momentum after the powerplay, restricting them to just 123 in 19.3 overs.
4) The Mosca Brothers: Justin and Anthony Mosca, Italy’s opening partnership with a familial core, took over from their bowlers to deliver a historic win. The brothers combined for an unbeaten 124-run partnership, guiding Italy to their maiden T20 World Cup win in just 12.4 overs.
Justin, the younger sibling, reached his fifty first, off 37 balls, before Anthony followed with a quicker half-century off 28 deliveries.
Anthony finished with 62 off 32 balls, striking six sixes and three fours, while Justin remained unbeaten on 60 off 44 balls with five fours and three sixes.
It was a composed yet commanding chase that marked a significant milestone in Italy’s tournament history.
5) Ishan Kishan: With Abhishek Sharma unavailable after being hospitalised for a stomach infection earlier this week, Ishan Kishan seized control at the top. Kishan registered the joint fourth-fastest fifty by an Indian at a T20 World Cup, reaching the milestone off just 20 balls.
The defining moment came in the final over of the powerplay when he struck JJ Smit for four consecutive sixes followed by a boundary, transforming a steady start into a dominant one.
He followed that with a six and four in the next over, helping India reach 103/1 in 6.5 overs, the fastest team hundred in men’s T20 World Cup history.
Kishan was dismissed in the eighth over for 61 off 24 balls, an innings comprising six fours and five sixes.
6) Hardik Pandya: After managing just five runs in the opener against the United States, Hardik Pandya responded with a fluent 52 off 28 balls against Namibia.
His innings featured four sixes and four fours, balancing power with placement. One of the standout strokes was a 109-metre six off Bernard Scholtz, struck from outside the off-stump line and dispatched over the ropes.
Pandya continued his contribution with the ball, taking 2/21 in a Player of the Match performance.
7) Gerhard Erasmus: Primarily recognised for his batting contributions, Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus made his impact with the ball in Delhi.
Introducing himself into the attack at the start of the eighth over, Erasmus struck with his very first delivery, dismissing Ishan Kishan just as the left-hander looked set to extend his assault.
Sensing grip and assistance from the surface, Erasmus adjusted quickly, varying his pace and length to exploit the conditions. He went on to remove Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel, accounting for both of India’s half-centurions in the process.
Erasmus finished with figures of 4 for 20, a return that stood out despite India’s overall dominance and underlined his value as a multi-dimensional contributor.
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