Sri Lanka unleashed a batting blitz in Pallekele as Dasun Shanaka and Pavan Rathnayake smashed explosive half-centuries to power the Islanders to a crushing 105-run win over Oman in a one-sided T20 World Cup clash.
The hosts piled up a massive 225 for 5, the highest total of this tournament and Sri Lanka’s second-best in T20 World Cup history, before bowling Oman out of the contest with ruthless precision.
Kusal Mendis laid the foundation with a fluent 61, keeping the scoreboard ticking through the middle overs while Oman struggled to contain the flow of runs. But the real destruction came late, as Rathnayake blasted 60 off just 28 balls and Shanaka produced pure carnage with Sri Lanka’s fastest-ever T20I fifty, reaching the milestone in only 19 deliveries.
The final five overs alone yielded a staggering 79 runs, turning a strong total into an unreachable mountain and completely breaking Oman’s resistance.
With the ball, Sri Lanka were just as clinical. Dushmantha Chameera struck first over of the chase, and Oman never recovered after losing early wickets inside a timid powerplay.
Maheesh Theekshana then delivered a masterclass in control and guile, conceding just 11 runs in four overs while picking up two key wickets, suffocating any hopes of a comeback with arguably the most economical spell of the tournament so far.
Mohammad Nadeem’s fighting unbeaten 53* was the lone bright spot for Oman, but it was merely damage control as the chase fizzled out at 120 for 9.
In the end, it was a complete performance from Sri Lanka, explosive with the bat, ruthless with the ball, and a statement victory that sends a strong message to the rest of the tournament.
