Mumbai: During the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, Australian captain Mitchell Marsh unleashed a stunning display of aggressive batting, hitting five consecutive fours in a single over against Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana.
This explosive feat unfolded in the group-stage clash between Australia and Sri Lanka at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on February 16, leaving fans in awe and etching an unwanted record in Theekshana’s name.
Sri Lanka easily defeated Australia by eight wickets, securing their place in the Super 8. For Australia, however, the loss marked the end of their campaign, as they bowed out of the group stage after suffering defeats in two of their matches — despite an earlier win against Ireland, followed by setbacks against Zimbabwe and now Sri Lanka.
The highlight came in the powerplay’s final over, bowled by Theekshana. After a dot ball to start, Marsh unleashed a barrage: a crisp point-boundary, another through the covers, a mistimed yet effective shot over the ropes, a leg-side flick, and a powerful cover drive to cap it off. This 20-run over boosted Australia’s innings and made Theekshana the unfortunate holder of the most embarrassing record in T20Is for conceding five fours in succession.
Theekshana, who bowled three overs in the powerplay, had a mixed outing — leaking nine runs in his second over (including two fours from Travis Head), six in the fourth, and a whopping 20 in the sixth. This performance stands as his costliest powerplay spell in international T20 cricket, with an economy rate hovering around 12.
While no direct quotes from players surfaced immediately post-match, the incident has sparked buzz on social media, with cricket enthusiasts hailing Marsh’s dominance.