Australia secured a commanding nine-wicket victory over Oman as both teams concluded their campaigns in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with a group-stage clash on Friday at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy.
A superb four-wicket spell from Adam Zampa and an unbeaten half-century by captain Mitchell Marsh powered Australia to a comfortable win in their final match of the tournament.
Chasing a modest target of 105, Australia completed the task with ease, reaching the total with just one wicket down and 62 balls remaining. Marsh led from the front with an unbeaten 64 off 33 deliveries, striking seven boundaries and four sixes in a dominant innings.
He was well supported by opening partner Travis Head, who scored a brisk 32 off 19 balls. The duo shared a rapid 93-run stand inside eight overs before Head was caught and bowled by Shakeel Ahmed.
Following Head’s dismissal, Josh Inglis provided the finishing touches with an unbeaten 12 off just six deliveries to seal a comprehensive win for the 2021 champions.
Earlier, Marsh’s decision to field first proved fruitful as Australia’s disciplined bowling attack restricted Oman to just 104 runs in 16.2 overs.
Oman’s innings got off to a shaky start, losing three wickets within the first five overs for only 39 runs. Middle-order batter Wasim Ali attempted to stabilise the innings with a composed knock after coming in at number five.
The left-hander remained at the crease until the 16th over, top-scoring with 32 off 33 deliveries, including four boundaries, before being dismissed by Glenn Maxwell.
Apart from Wasim, only captain Jatinder Singh (17), Hammad Mirza (16), and Karan Sonavale (12) managed to reach double figures against the Australian bowling lineup.
Zampa was the standout performer with the ball, finishing with impressive figures of 4/21 in 3.2 overs. He received valuable support from Maxwell and Xavier Bartlett, who picked up two wickets each, while Marcus Stoinis and Nathan Ellis claimed one wicket apiece.
Zampa’s outstanding performance earned him the Player of the Match award.
Despite the victory, both Australia and Oman had already been eliminated from Super Eights contention following underwhelming group-stage performances. Australia finished fourth in Group B with two points from three matches after suffering defeats against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, while Oman ended at the bottom of the standings, having lost all three of their group matches.
