Pallekele International Cricket Stadium witnessed a one-sided demolition on Sunday as Australia’s bowlers ran riot over Oman in the concluding group-stage fixture of the T20 World Cup. Opting to bat first after losing the toss, Oman’s batsmen simply couldn’t handle the guile and pace on offer, slumping to 104 all out in 16.2 overs.
The writing was on the wall early when Oman lost a wicket without scoring. From there, it was a collapse of epic proportions—regular strikes left the scoreboard looking bleak. Australia, playing for honor after early tournament setbacks, bowled with precision and venom.
Top-scoring for the Associate nation was Wasim Ali with a determined 32 from 33 deliveries, including four fours. Jatinder Singh made 17, Hammad Mirza 16, and Karan Sonavale 12, but the rest of the lineup failed miserably to build partnerships.
Spinner Adam Zampa stole the show once again, his 4/21 in 3.2 overs including key breakthroughs. Glenn Maxwell picked up 2/13, Xavier Bartlett grabbed 2/27 over his full quota, while Stoinis and Ellis chipped in with one scalp each. This bowling masterclass sets up an easy chase for the Baggy Greens.
With Australia out of Super 8 race following defeats against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, victory here is about restoring confidence. Oman, similarly trophyless in their last three games, bows out exposed against top-tier bowling.