Sri Lanka’s misfiring middle order finally comes to the party

Friday, 13 February 2026 00:14 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Thump hapless Oman by 105 runs

PALLEKELE: Sri Lanka’s misfiring middle order, which has been causing a big headache, eventually came good to notch up the highest total in the ongoing T20 World Cup – 225-5 – enabling them to secure their second straight win beating Oman by a thumping margin of 105 runs at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

It was Sri Lanka’s second highest total in T20Is after 260-6 against Kenya scored at Johannesburg in 2007.

Sri Lanka started poorly with both openers being dismissed inside the powerplay. That is when their middle order decided to come to the party. Contrasting fifties from Kusal Mendis (61 off 45 balls, 7 fours) and Pavan Rathnayake (60 off 28 balls, 8 fours, 1 six) – his first half-century in T20I cricket – who came together in a stand of 94 off 52 balls, settled the nerves. It was Sri Lanka’s highest for the third wicket in T20 World Cups, breaking the 87 by Sanath Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayawardene.

Then, skipper Dasun Shanaka's 19-ball half-century (50 off 20 balls, 2 fours, 5 sixes) – the fastest for Sri Lanka in T20Is beating his own previous record of a 20-ball salvo against India at Pune in 2023 – and his partnership of 63 off 28 balls with Kusal Mendis left Oman rattled. Kamindu Mendis chipped in with a couple of sixes and a four in his seven-ball 19* to bat Oman out of the contest. Sri Lanka scored 65 runs in the last four overs, thanks to Shanaka and Kamindu Mendis.

Faisal Shah was very impressive in the midst of the carnage, bowling his four overs conceding just 28 runs, while Jiten Ramanandi grabbed a couple of wickets for 41.

Oman had a mountain to climb and Dushmantha Chameera made it look even harder for them when he took a wicket in the very first over. Maheesh Theekshana did so in the second over and the rest of the innings was a mere formality.

Mohammad Nadeem put up some resistance and brought up a maiden World Cup fifty (53* off 56 balls, 3 fours, 1 six). At 43 years and 161 days, he became the oldest to score a fifty in any ICC tournament. The previous oldest was Netherlands' Flavian Aponso (43y 121d), who scored 58 against Pakistan in the 1996 Men's ODI World Cup game. The previous oldest in a T20 World Cup match was by Sanath Jayasuriya (39y 345d) against West Indies in the 2009 edition.

Wasim Ali threatened briefly during his 20-ball 27 (3 sixes), but Oman were simply second best as they were outclassed by the host country. Seven bowlers were used by Sri Lanka and Maheesh Theekshana was the pick with 2/11. Dushan Hemantha, who came in for the injured Wanindu Hasaranga, took some stick, conceding 45 runs in his four overs for one wicket.

Rathnayake was named Player of the Match.