🏏ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026:M16: SL vs Oman, Pallekele 🏏 - Page 4

Back to back wickets for Oman by SL

Oman Innings

1.1 Theekshana to Aamir, OUT

Pinned in front, given! Sri Lanka have two in two. Theekshana starts from around the wicket, bowls the offspinner, gets it to dip a little. Kameen gets down to sweep but is done in by the dip. He is beaten on the bottom edge and struck low on the front leg. Kaleem opts to review and it is not a bad one - umpire's call on impact as well as hitting the stumps. Theekshana strikes with his first ball

Aamir Kaleem lbw b Theekshana 6 (5b 1x4 0x6) SR: 120

Three half-centuries through the middle helped them put on 225, the second highest score for Sri Lanka in T20 World Cup history, and the highest score of this tournament so far.

SL 225/5

OMA

(2.1/20 ov, T:226) 17/2

Oman need 209 runs in 107 balls.

CRR: 7.84

• RRR: 11.71

Dushmantha Chameera to Mohammad Nadeem, SIX, what a shot that is. Nadeem makes room and smokes it over point. He got the width he was looking and the timing takes it all the way as he expected.

Oman-- 36/2 after 5.4 overs

Dasun Shanaka to Mohammad Nadeem, FOUR, to fine leg.

SL 225-5(20)

OMAN 48-3(7.5)

CRR:6.13

REQ:14.63

Oman need 178 runs in 73 balls

SL 225/5

OMA

(17.6/20 ov, T:226) 112/9

Oman need 114 runs in 12 balls.

CRR: 6.22

• RRR: 57.00

• Last 5 ov (RR): 19/3 (3.80)

RESULT

SL 225/5

OMA

(20 ov, T:226) 120/9

Sri Lanka won by 105 runs

2:23pm Sri Lanka's second win in the last six T20Is in Pallekele and this is as thumpin as it gets. Certainly gives them a net run-rate boost. Once their batters came to the party, Kusal Mendis and Shanaka hitting fifties and then Kamindu Mendis providing the finishing touches, it was already a mountain too far for Oman. They can hold their heads high for not getting bowled out despite losing their middle-order wickets in clusters. Mohammad Nadeem also has a T20 World Cup fifty to show. A combined bowling effort from Sri Lanka sees them win their second game on the trot in this competition.

A nice workaround for Sri Lanka as they secure their second straight win of the tournament. They were asked to bat first, the openers failed to fire, but the middle-order came to the fore as number 3, 4 and 5 all made fifties. 225 was the eventual total and it simply put Oman out of the contest. Dushmantha Chameera took a wicket in the very first over, Maheesh Theekshana did so in the second and the rest of the innings was a mere formality. 43-year old Mohammad Nadeem put up some resistance and brought up a maiden World Cup fifty. Wasim Ali threatened briefly during his 20-ball 27, but Oman were simply second best as they were outclassed by the hosts. Seven bowlers were used by Sri Lanka and Theekshana was the pick. Dushan Hemantha, who came in for the injured Wanindu Hasanranga, took some stick, but Sri Lanka will feel comfortable with the eventual margin.

Pavan Rathnayake | Player of the match : I like to play spin, but I always try to protect my style. I like both spin and pace. The game went very well. Everyone supports each other and everyone is doing well. So in the next game, we will try to do our best.

Biggest win margins for SL in T20Is (by runs)

172 vs KEN, Joburg, 2007 WC

105 vs OMA, Pallekele, 2026 WC*

83 vs NED, Gros Islet, 2024 WC

82 vs ZIM, Hambantota, 2012 WC

This is also the heaviest defeat margin for Oman in T20Is in terms of runs. The previous biggest loss for them was 93 runs against Pakistan in the 2025 Asia Cup.

50-plus scores for Oman in T20 WCs

73* - Jitender Singh vs PNG, 2021

54 - Pratik Athavale vs SCO, 2024

53* - Mohammad Nadeem vs SL, 2026*

50* - Aqib Ilyas vs PNG, 2021

Slowest fifty in T20 WCs (by balls)

52 - Mohammad Rizwan (PAK) vs CAN, New York, 2024

52 - Mohammad Nadeem (OMA) vs SL, Pallekele, 2026*

50 - David Miller (SA) vs NED, New York, 2024

49 - Devon Smith (WI) vs BAN, Joburg, 2007

49 - David Hussey (AUS) vs ENG, Bridgetown, 2010

49 - Suryakumar Yadav (IND) vs USA, New York, 2024

At the age of 43y 161d, Mohammad Nadeem is the oldest batter to score 50-plus in a T20 WC match. The previous oldest was Sanath Jayasuriya (39y 345d) against WI in the 2009 edition.