Published: Feb 12, 2026, 03:55 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 12, 2026, 03:55 PM (IST)
Blistering half-centuries from Pavan Rathnayake, captain Dasun Shanaka, and Kusal Mendis powered Sri Lanka to a commanding 225/5 – the highest total of the 2026 T20 World Cup so far and their second-highest in tournament history. Oman, who opted to bowl first, never recovered in their chase and were restricted to 120/9, handing Sri Lanka a massive 105-run victory in their Group B clash at Pallekele on Thursday.
With two wins from two matches, the 2014 champions now top Group B, ahead of Australia and Zimbabwe.
Pavan Rathnayake bounced back emphatically from his poor World Cup debut against Ireland (where he scored just 5). The 23-year-old unleashed a stunning 60 off 28 balls, smashing eight fours and one six to register his maiden T20 World Cup fifty off just 24 balls. He bettered his previous best of 40 at the same venue earlier this month. Rathnayake was particularly severe on the spinners, hammering three consecutive fours off Sufyan Mehmood and launching the innings’ first six off Ramanandi in the 12th over. His aggressive intent set the platform for Sri Lanka’s big total, earning him the Player of the Match award.
Sri Lanka lost early wickets (15/1 and 42/2), but Kusal Mendis anchored the innings with a composed 61 off 45 balls (his second successive fifty and 19th overall in T20Is), striking seven fours. Rathnayake and Mendis forged a crucial 94-run stand off 52 balls for the third wicket, keeping the run-rate above nine through the middle overs with smart rotation (40 of the first 96 runs came in singles and twos).
Captain Dasun Shanaka, coming off lean scores (1, 4, 0) in the lead-up, exploded with Sri Lanka’s fastest T20 World Cup fifty – off just 19 balls. He took on Mohammad Nadeem with a boundary and back-to-back sixes, then smashed successive sixes off Sufyan Mehmood to reach the milestone. Shanaka’s knock included five sixes and two fours. Kamindu Mendis finished strongly with 19 off 7 balls*, hitting two sixes off Shah Faisal as Sri Lanka plundered 65 runs in the last four overs.
Oman’s reply collapsed early: skipper Jatinder Singh was cleaned up by Dushmantha Chameera in the first over, followed quickly by Aamir Kaleem and Hammad Mirza, leaving them at 36/3 in the powerplay. Chameera struck twice with the new ball (2/19).
A brief fightback came from Wasim Ali (27 off 20, 3×6), who clubbed Dushan Hemantha for back-to-back sixes, taking Oman to 75/3 in 11 overs. But Maheesh Theekshana (2/11 in four overs) triggered the slide by dismissing Wasim, caught by Kusal. A direct hit from Kamil Mishara ran out Vinayak Shukla next ball, and Jiten Ramanandi was brilliantly stumped by Kusal for a golden duck – three wickets in six balls to crash to 91/6.
Veteran Mohammad Nadeem (53* off 56) waged a lone battle for his third T20I fifty in 71 appearances, but the scoreboard pressure proved too much as Oman wilted to 120/9.
Sri Lanka’s disciplined bowling and explosive batting sent a strong message to the rest of Group B in this one-sided contest.
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