The Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy hosts a Group B consolation clash between two shattered sides whose World Cup dreams have already been extinguished. Australia’s campaign, which began with such promise, has unravelled into a nightmare. Consecutive losses to Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka compounded by Ireland and Zimbabwe’s washed-out game have confirmed their earliest World Cup exit in over a decade. The five-time champions are going home, and they know it.
Oman’s tournament has been even more brutal: three heavy defeats, batting collapses, and a bowling attack taken apart in every game. This is a dead rubber in the truest sense, a contest between two teams playing for pride and nothing else. History favors Australia; they beat Oman by 39 runs in their only previous meeting. But on a Pallekele surface that has troubled even the best, with a demoralized Australian unit facing an Omani side desperate for any positive memory, this is far from a foregone conclusion.
Australia vs Oman Win Probability
RCBW vs DCW Batting Tips
AUS vs OMA, Group B T20 World Cup 2026 40th Match Details
| Match | ICC T20 World Cup 2026, 40th Match, Group B |
| Date | Friday, February 20, 2026 |
| Time | 07:00 PM (IST) |
| Venue | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy |
| Live Streaming (TV) | Star Sports Network |
| Live Streaming (Mobile) | JioHotstar |
AUS vs OMA Team Form – Who Will Win Today’s Match?
Australia
Australia’s form is dire (L, L, W, L, L), with two consecutive tournament losses ending their campaign. Their key strength remains an explosive top order. Travis Head is in good touch (56 off 29 vs Sri Lanka, strike rate 193). Mitchell Marsh (54 off 27) provides similar firepower. The middle order, however, has struggled on slow surfaces. The bowling attack, missing Hazlewood and Cummins, has lacked penetration. Nathan Ellis has been their best bowler (economy 7.20). The psychological edge is absent; they are playing for pride alone.
Oman
Oman’s form is catastrophic (L, L, L, W, L), with three heavy tournament defeats. Their key strength is individual resilience. Aamir Kaleem has been their best batter (61 runs in two games, strike rate 149). Captain Jatinder Singh (132 runs in qualifiers) is due. The bowling attack has been taken apart, conceding over 10 an over regularly. Shakeel Ahmed (3 wickets, economy 10) has been their best. Their realistic objective is to compete for 40 overs and avoid another heavy defeat.
AUS vs OMA Probable Playing XI
Australia Probable XI-
Mitchell Marsh (C), Travis Head, Matt Renshaw, Tim David, Josh Inglis (WK), Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Cooper Connolly / Ben Dwarshuis, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa.
Oman Probable XI-
Aamir Kaleem, Jatinder Singh (C), Hammad Mirza, Ashish Odedara, Mohammad Nadeem, Jiten Ramanandi, Vinayak Shukla (WK), Nadeem Khan, Sufyan Mehmood, Shah Faisal, Shakeel Ahmed.
AUS vs OMA Head-to-Head Record (T20I World Cup)
| Total Match Played | 01 |
| AUS Won | 01 |
| OMA Won | 00 |
| Draw/No Result | 00 |
AUS vs OMA Pitch Report
The Pallekele pitch is a balanced surface that has produced first-innings totals of 225-5 and 180 in this World Cup. It is batter-friendly early on but gets trickier to score as the innings progresses, with spinners coming into play in the middle overs. Sri Lanka chased Australia’s 180 comfortably in the last game here. Around 180 is competitive, with Australia targeting 200 if batting first. Oman would be satisfied with 145-160.
AUS vs OMA Weather Report
The forecast is concerning. Cloudy conditions with a good chance of rain and isolated thunderstorms are expected around the 7 PM start. Temperatures will be in the mid-20s °C, with showers likely lingering into the night. Intermittent rain could affect play.
AUS vs OMA Toss Prediction
The captain winning the toss will likely choose to bowl first. With cloud cover expected, seam bowlers will have early assistance. Early breakthroughs could set the tone, especially if Australia bowls first. The chasing team has a clear advantage in evening conditions.
AUS vs OMA Match Prediction
This is a consolation clash between two shattered sides, but the gulf in quality remains cavernous.
Australia’s case: They still possess world-class match-winners. Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh can take the game away in six overs. They scored 70-0 in the powerplay against Sri Lanka Oman’s attack was significantly weaker. Adam Zampa on a spinning Pallekele track is a genuine threat. Even a demoralized Australian unit, playing for pride, should be far too strong.
Oman’s case: They have Aamir Kaleem, who has shown fight. Jatinder Singh is a proven performer at Associate level. They have nothing to lose, which can sometimes be dangerous. The freedom of playing without pressure could unlock their potential.
However, Oman’s batting has been catastrophic scores of 103, 120-9, and 139. Their bowling has been taken apart by every opponent. Australia’s attack, even without its stars, is infinitely more threatening.
Expect Australia to approach this with professional intensity Head and Marsh attacking from ball one, Zampa strangling in the middle overs. Oman will compete Kaleem may score, Shakeel may take wickets but Australia’s superior class and firepower should see them secure a consolation victory and sign off from a disappointing campaign with their heads held high.
AUS vs OMA Dream11 Team
- Wicketkeeper: Josh Inglis, Vinayak Shukla
- Batters: Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Aamir Kaleem
- All-rounders: Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Jatinder Singh
- Bowlers: Adam Zampa, Nathan Ellis, Shakeel Ahmed
Captain (C) Pick: Travis Head, Marcus Stoinis.
Vice-Captain (VC) Pick: Aamir Kaleem, Adam Zampa.
