This Sri Lanka vs Oman T20 World Cup 2026 Highlights report captures a historic afternoon in Pallekele where the co-hosts reached a massive 225/5—the highest total of the tournament so far. Despite losing openers early, the middle order went into overdrive as Pavan Rathnayake (60) and Kusal Mendis (61) set the platform for a Dasun Shanaka explosion. The Sri Lankan skipper smashed a 20-ball fifty, a national record, to leave Oman shell-shocked. In response, Oman’s chase crumbled under the lights against the clinical pace of Dushmantha Chameera and the mystery spin of Maheesh Theekshana, eventually crawling to 120/9 and handing Sri Lanka a massive 105-run victory.
Match Highlights
Match Summary: A Batting Blitzkrieg in Pallekele
ICC T20 World Cup 2026 - Match 16 - Sri Lanka vs Oman
Sri Lanka’s 105-run victory was defined by sheer batting aggression and disciplined bowling. Put in to bat, the Islanders overcame a shaky 42/2 start through a blistering 94-run stand between Kusal Mendis (61) and Pavan Rathnayake (60). However, the real carnage came from Dasun Shanaka, who plundered five sixes in a 20-ball fifty to push the total to 225. Oman’s pursuit of 226 was doomed from the first over when Dushmantha Chameera cleaned up Jatinder Singh. Apart from a fighting 53* from the 43-year-old Mohammad Nadeem, Oman had no answers to Sri Lanka’s variety, finishing their 20 overs at 120/9.
Playing XI
Sri Lanka
Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (WK), Pavan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka (C), Dunith Wellalage, Dushan Hemantha, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana.
Oman
Jatinder Singh (C), Aamir Kaleem, Hammad Mirza, Wasim Ali, Mohammad Nadeem, Jiten Ramanandi, Vinayak Shukla (WK), Sufyan Mehmood, Nadeem Khan, Shah Faisal, Jay Odedra.
Key Stats & Records From Today's Match:
225/5: Highest total in the T20 World Cup 2026 so far.
20 Balls: Dasun Shanaka’s fifty is the fastest by a Sri Lankan in Men’s T20 World Cups.
43 Years: Mohammad Nadeem became the oldest player to score a half-century in a T20 World Cup match.
105 Runs: Sri Lanka’s second-largest margin of victory in T20 World Cup history.
Innings Breakdown
First Innings: The Rathnayake-Shanaka "Power" Phase
The opening chapter of the Sri Lanka vs Oman T20 World Cup 2026 Highlights began with Oman’s spinners finding early moisture, removing Nissanka and Mishara inside the Powerplay. However, Pavan Rathnayake (60 off 28) changed the momentum with a fearless display of hitting, including three successive boundaries off Sufyan Mehmood. Kusal Mendis anchored the other end with a steady 61. After Rathnayake’s departure, Dasun Shanaka unleashed a “slaughter,” reaching his fifty in just 20 balls—the fastest by a Sri Lankan in T20 World Cups—propelling the score to a daunting 225/5.
Second Innings: Theekshana’s Choke and Nadeem’s Lone Fight
Oman’s chase in the Sri Lanka vs Oman T20 World Cup 2026 Highlights was derailed by a triple-strike in the Powerplay. Dushmantha Chameera’s pace accounted for Jatinder Singh and Hammad Mirza, while Maheesh Theekshana (2/11) was virtually unplayable, conceding just 2.75 runs per over. The middle order suffered three run-outs, including a brilliant direct hit from Kamil Mishara. Veteran Mohammad Nadeem (53*) became the oldest half-centurion in T20 World Cup history, but his lone resistance only served to reduce the margin of defeat as Oman finished on 120/9.
The “Hasaranga” Factor: Sri Lanka played this match without their talismanic spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, who was late-ruled out due to a minor hamstring niggle. The fact that the Islanders still restricted Oman so ruthlessly using Dunith Wellalage and Dushan Hemantha shows their immense bowling depth—a scary prospect for Australia, who they face next on February 16.
Top Performers
Dasun Shanaka (50 off 20 balls) - Captain's Knock
Shanaka chose the perfect stage to return to form. His record-breaking 20-ball fifty featured 5 towering sixes and completely took the game away from Oman in the final four overs, where Sri Lanka plundered 65 runs.
Pavan Rathnayake (60 off 28 balls) - Player of the Match
Rathnayake was the architect of the recovery. His strike rate of 214.28 through the middle overs ensured Oman’s spinners could never settle into a rhythm, and his 94-run stand with Mendis was the game’s backbone.
Maheesh Theekshana (2/11 off 4 overs) - The Web-Weaver
While the batters grabbed the headlines, Theekshana was the silent assassin. His economy of 2.75 on a batting-friendly track was elite, providing the “squeeze” that forced the Omani middle order into reckless run-outs.
Key Moments & Turning Points
The definitive turning point occurred in the 17th over of the Sri Lankan innings. After a steady period, Dasun Shanaka launched Sufyan Mehmood for back-to-back sixes. That over went for 20 runs and signaled the start of a “death overs” carnage where Sri Lanka transitioned from a projected 180 to a final 225. Oman’s bowlers lost their lengths completely under the pressure, effectively ending the match before the second innings even began.
What does the Sri Lanka win over Oman mean for the Group B points table?
This victory has propelled Sri Lanka to the top of Group B with 4 points and a massive Net Run Rate of +3.125. They have effectively secured one foot in the Super 8s. For Oman, the defeat is a heavy blow; with 0 points and a NRR of -4.306, they now face a must-win situation against Ireland on Saturday to keep their mathematical hopes alive.
What does the current group standing say?
The India-Pakistan Showdown: By overtaking Pakistan on NRR, India has set up a massive “Winner-Takes-Top-Seed” clash on February 15. The winner of that match will almost certainly walk into the Super 8s as the #1 team from Group A.
England’s Nightmare: Currently sitting in 4th place in Group C, England is in a crisis. Italy’s massive NRR boost from their 10-wicket win over Nepal means that even if England wins their next game, they must do so by a huge margin to leapfrog Scotland or Italy.
Super 8 Lock-ins: New Zealand and South Africa have effectively turned Group D into a closed race. Unless Canada or UAE pulls off a miracle today, the Super 8 spots for this group are sealed.
T20 World Cup 2026 Group B Points Table
Group B Standings
Check out related news:
