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Australia
Oman
Australia and Oman will face each other in Match 40 of the 2026 T20 World Cup at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. This will be only the second T20I meeting between these sides.
Australia will enter the game after a disappointing campaign, as they have already been eliminated from qualification despite this final fixture. Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe will have secured the Super Eight spots from Group B. The match will therefore carry no tournament impact but will still provide both teams an opportunity to finish positively.
Australia will look to close their campaign with a professional performance after managing just one win so far. Oman will aim to avoid ending the tournament without a victory after losing all 3 matches. Australia hold the advantage based on squad depth and their win in the previous head-to-head meeting in 2024.
Travis Head will attack early in the power play with Mitch Marsh, including a 104-run opening stand with Marsh, against a bowling attack conceding over 10 runs per over.
The betting tip is...
Travis Head - Over 25.5 runs
63 %
37 %
AustraliaOmanAustralia will finish this World Cup with clear disappointment after starting with a win over Ireland but then losing consecutive matches against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, which ended their qualification hopes.
Slow surfaces have exposed issues against spin, and their batting unit will need to adjust better to these conditions. Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh and Josh Inglis will provide experience at the top, while Cameron Green and Tim David will offer power through the middle overs.
Marsh and Head will continue to attack early, highlighted by their 104-run stand in 8.4 overs against Sri Lanka. Marcus Stoinis will add finishing ability and seam options, while Matt Renshaw or Steven Smith could come into consideration based on recent form.
With Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins unavailable, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis and Cooper Connolly will lead the pace attack. Adam Zampa will remain key in controlling the middle overs.
Marsh, Head and David are the key batters.
Predicted Lineup: Mitchell Marsh (c), Travis Head, Matt Renshaw, Tim David, Josh Inglis (wk), Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Cooper Connolly, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa
Oman will enter this match after a disappointing campaign, having suffered 3 heavy defeats and finishing bottom in Group B.
Their batting unit will need significant improvement to challenge Australia. Captain Jatinder Singh will remain their key batter after scoring 132 runs in the World Cup Asia & EAP Qualifier at an average of 33 and a strike rate of 142, and he will be expected to contribute around 30 to 40 runs.
Aamir Kaleem will provide additional support after scoring 61 runs from two matches at a strike rate of 149 in this tournament. Hammad Mirza and Vinayak Shukla will be relied upon to add stability with contributions in the 20 to 30 run range. Their bowling attack will remain a concern, with most bowlers conceding over 10 runs per over. Shakeel Ahmed will lead the attack, supported by Sufyan Mehmood and Jiten Ramanandi.
Kaleem, Mirza and Jatinder are the key batters.
Predicted Lineup: Aamir Kaleem, Jatinder Singh (c), Hammad Mirza, Ashish Odedara, Mohammad Nadeem, Jiten Ramanandi, Vinayak Shukla (wk), Nadeem Khan, Sufyan Mehmood, Shah Faisal, Shakeel Ahmed
Australia will enter this match as clear favourites despite their exit from the tournament. Their top order has a strong advantage against an Oman bowling attack that has struggled for control and has conceded runs at over 10 per over.
Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head will likely continue their aggressive approach in the power play, especially after their 104-run opening stand against Sri Lanka. Headβs attacking intent and ability to score quickly against pace and spin will suit the conditions at Pallekele.
Omanβs bowling struggles in the early overs should allow Australia to build momentum at the top. Expect Australiaβs opening pair to set the tone with a strong start, which should put them in a commanding position in this contest.
