Sri Lanka vs Oman Prediction & Match Preview – T20 World Cup 2026, 16th Match
Match summary
Sri Lanka meet Oman at Pallekele on 12 February 2026. Our T20 World Cup preview covers form, the Hasaranga injury, key players, pitch and likely XIs.
Match details
| Match | Sri Lanka vs Oman, 16th Match |
|---|---|
| Series | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 |
| Date | 12 Feb 2026 |
| Start time | 5:30 am GMT / 11:00 am local |
| Venue | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele |
| Status | Played |
| Our pick | Sri Lanka |
| Toss pick | Sri Lanka |
Matches in this series
Match preview
Sri Lanka beat Ireland by 20 runs in their first match, but it was an untidy win. They reached 163 for 6 after being 86 for 4 in the 14th over, and Ireland dropped several chances. Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara need to start faster; Nissanka has averaged 22 against spin in overs 7–15 since the start of 2025 at a strike rate of 112, which could be a problem against Oman’s spinners. Kusal Mendis top-scored with 56 off 43 and Kamindu Mendis hit 44 off 19.
Dushmantha Chameera has taken 14 wickets in eight matches at an average of 10, and he and Matheesha Pathirana will look to strike early. Sri Lanka are, however, without Wanindu Hasaranga, who has a hamstring injury, with Dushan Hemantha likely to step in.
Oman made a poor start, with none of their top five reaching double figures in the 103 all out against Zimbabwe. Captain Jatinder Singh made 132 runs in four matches in the Asia and EAP Qualifier at a strike rate of 142, and Vinayak Shukla scored 121 in five at 160 and top-scored with 28 off 21 in the opener. Jiten Ramanandi took 11 wickets in the qualifiers at an economy of 5.81, and Sufyan Mehmood took both Zimbabwe wickets while conceding 12 in three overs.
Pallekele generally offers a good batting surface with steady bounce and rewards for shots early on. The new ball can swing or carry a little, but run-scoring gets easier once batters settle. Spinners come into play in the middle overs when they vary their pace and keep a good length. Dew can make gripping the ball harder in day-night games.
Mostly cloudy skies are forecast with a chance of scattered showers or thunderstorms, temperatures near 29 °C and high humidity, so interruptions are possible.
Expected scores
| Innings | Predicted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First innings | 160–175 | – |
| Second innings | 145–165 | – |
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka’s greater depth and home advantage should see them through, even without Wanindu Hasaranga, against an Oman side bowled out for 103 in its opener.
Toss pick: Sri Lanka
FAQ
Is Wanindu Hasaranga playing?
No. He has been ruled out with a hamstring injury, and Dushan Hemantha is likely to replace him.
How did Oman do in their opener?
They were bowled out for 103 by Zimbabwe, who chased it in 13.2 overs for the loss of two wickets.
Could rain affect the game?
There is a moderate risk of showers, so some disruption is possible.
Probable XIs
Expected line-ups from our preview. c = captain, wk = wicketkeeper.
Sri Lanka
- Pathum Nissanka
- Kamil Mishara
- Kusal Mendiswk
- Pavan Rathnayake
- Kamindu Mendis
- Dasun Shanakac
- Dunith Wellalage
- Dushan Hemantha / Charith Asalanka
- Dushmantha Chameera
- Maheesh Theekshana
- Matheesha Pathirana
Oman
- Jatinder Singhc
- Aamir Kaleem
- Hammad Mirza
- Wasim Ali
- Karan Sonavale
- Jiten Ramanandi
- Vinayak Shuklawk
- Sufyan Mehmood
- Nadeem Khan
- Shah Faisal
- Shakeel Ahmed