Sri Lanka secured a dominant 105-run victory over Oman in the T20 World Cup at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Thursday. The hosts delivered a complete performance with both bat and ball.
Oman won the toss and chose to field first. The decision did not go as planned. Sri Lanka posted a massive total of 225 for 5 in 20 overs. It is the highest team score recorded in the ongoing tournament.
The innings did not start perfectly. Sri Lanka were 42 for 2 after losing two early wickets. Kusal Mendis and Pavan Rathnayake then rebuilt the innings. The pair formed the highest third-wicket partnership in T20 World Cup history.
Kusal Mendis scored 61 runs from 45 balls. He struck seven boundaries during his knock. Rathnayake added a quick 60 off 28 balls. He hit eight fours and one six. Their partnership shifted the momentum firmly in Sri Lanka’s favor.
Captain Dasun Shanaka added late fireworks. He reached his half-century in just 19 deliveries. In doing so, he broke his own previous record set in 2023 against India. His quick runs pushed Sri Lanka past the 220 mark.
For Oman, Jiten Ramanandi took two wickets for 41 runs. Jay Odedra claimed one wicket for 14 runs. Sufiyan Mehmood also picked up a wicket but conceded 60 runs in four overs.
Chasing 226, Oman struggled under pressure. The team managed 120 for 9 in their 20 overs. Regular wickets slowed their progress throughout the innings.
Mohammad Nadeem was the top scorer for Oman. He remained unbeaten on 53 from 56 balls. He hit three boundaries and one six. Wasim Ali contributed 27 runs off 20 balls, including three fours. However, no other batter made a significant impact.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers maintained control from the start. Dushmantha Chameera took two wickets for 19 runs. Maheesh Theekshana also claimed two wickets for just 11 runs. Kamindu Mendis, Dunith Wellalage, and Dushan Hemantha picked up one wicket each.
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With this comprehensive win, Sri Lanka strengthened their campaign in the T20 World Cup. The team showed strong depth in batting and disciplined bowling in all departments.
