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Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Zampa four-for, Marsh 64* take Australia to big consolation win against Oman

Australia 108 for 1 (Marsh 64*, Head 32) beat Oman 104 (Wasim 32, Zampa 4-21, Maxwell 2-13, Bartlett 2-27) by nine wickets

The disappointment was written large on the Australian faces. They didn't celebrate any of the Oman wickets, but in a clinical show with bat and ball, they managed to end their 2026 T20 World Cup on a high, defeating Oman by nine wickets in Pallekele. Adam Zampa, who went wicketless against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, got back to his best - he picked up 4 for 21. Xavier Bartlett and Glenn Maxwell took two wickets apiece as well, bowling Oman out for 104 in 16.2 overs.

In reply, the Australia openers, Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head made light work of the target, adding 93 off 49 balls for the opening wicket. Marsh smashed an unbeaten 64 off 33 balls, while Head finished with 32 off 19. Australia chased down the target in 9.4 overs. Josh Inglis hit the winning run but there was hardly any celebration in the Australian camp.

The result meant little to the overall context of the tournament, with Australia already out of the running for the Super Eight. They end their tournament with two wins in four matches, while Oman failed to get any points on the board, going down convincingly in all their four games.

Bartlett shines in powerplay

There was a statement made by the Oman captain Jatinder Singh before the game that they were ready to "crush Australia". The batters very quickly found out that it would not be that easy. On a surface that was under covers for a while before the start of the game, with rain around too, Australia had no hesitation in bowling. Bartlett got the ball to move in sharply and rattled Kaleem's stumps first ball. It was a length ball that started outside off and hooped back into the left-hand batter. Kaleem, who went for a big heave, got a teeny-tiny inside edge that hammered into leg stump.

Glenn Maxwell dropped a sitter at first slip, but Karan Sonavale's innings lasted just 11 balls. He lifted Nathan Ellis slower offcutter over mid-on but was cleaned up by a hard length delivery immediately. Jatinder struck three crisp boundaries during his 15-ball 17 but was undone by a fuller-length Bartlett delivery. It landed on off stump and Jatinder, who was rooted in his crease, failed to cover the line and saw his stumps take a beating.

Hammad Mirza ended the powerplay by carving Cameron Green for six over deep point. Still, at 47 for 3 after six, this was Australia's powerplay.

Zampa dazzles with four-for

Wasim Ali and Mirza picked off two fours against Bartlett, who bowled out in the seventh over, finishing with 2 for 27. Soon, Zampa took over, and Oman had no answers. He struck in his first over, bowling Mirza with a quick, skiddy delivery. Camped on the backfoot, Mirza looked to go for the pull but failed to judge the length. In his next over, he sent back Mohammad Nadeem, who went for a paddle and was trapped in front. The decision, not given out on the field, was sent upstairs and DRS went Australia's way.

While Vinayak Shukla edged Zampa for four first ball, he was soon sent back by Marcus Stoinis, caught at deep backward square leg failing to keep a pull down. Jiten Ramanandi came and went, trapped right in front of the stumps by Maxwell for his 50th T20I wicket. Wasim hit four crisp fours but was clean bowled by Maxwell as Oman slipped to 100 for 8 in the 16th over.

It was a swift end to the innings, with Zampa sending back Shakeel Ahmed and Jay Odedra off consecutive balls. The Oman innings was wrapped up with 3.4 overs to spare.

Marsh, Head fly away

It seemed as if Head and Marsh wanted to vent out their frustration and the Oman bowlers got caught in the midst of the storm. Marsh collected 14 runs off the opening Shafiq Jan over and never looked back. He drove, punched and got an outside edge for three fours. He should have been dismissed on the final ball of the over, when replays suggested that a fuller-length Shafiq delivery struck his pad first, and then bat. The ball was slamming into leg stump but none of the Omani fielders appealed.

That led to utter carnage in the next five overs. Spin was introduced in the second over in the form of offspinner Odedra. Marsh lofted him straight down the ground for six, while Head hacked him over his head for four.

Shariq's second over was hammered for 16, before Marsh and Head struck a four each in Shakeel Ahmed's second over. Wasim Ali, introduced in the last over of the powerplay, was thrashed for 0, 4, 6, 4, 0, 4 by Marsh, who raced to 53 off 26 balls. Australia amassed 73 in the powerplay, having slammed 11 fours and three sixes.

Australia end World Cup on a high

The only small victory for Oman came in the form of Head's wicket, with Shakeel's celebration being one of the highlights of the day. He pushed a length ball on off stump. Head eyed a massive swipe, but only managed a top edge that went straight up. The delivery landing around the square leg region had the wicketkeeper and Shakeel going for the catch. Shakeel pushed the keeper out of the way and, despite the bobble, held on to the catch. Then, he brought out CR7's 'siuuu' celebration.

It didn't take long for Australia to complete the win thereafter, with Inglis pumping Ramanadi over his head. It was complete domination by Australia, but in the grander scheme of things, it didn't amount to much.

ICC Men's T20 World Cup

Super Eights, Group 1
TeamMWLPTNRR
SA33062.259
IND32140.106
WI31220.993
ZIM3030-3.415
Super Eights, Group 2
TeamMWLPTNRR
ENG33061.096
NZ31131.39
PAK3113-0.123
SL3030-1.95
Group A
TeamMWLPTNRR
IND44082.5
PAK43160.976
USA42240.788
NED4132-1.217
NAM4040-3.108
Group B
TeamMWLPTNRR
ZIM43071.506
SL43161.741
AUS42241.523
IRE41230.15
OMA4040-4.845
Group C
TeamMWLPTNRR
WI44081.874
ENG43160.201
SCOT41320.184
ITA4132-1.02
NEP4132-1.349
Group D
TeamMWLPTNRR
SA44081.943
NZ43161.227
AFG42240.889
UAE4132-1.364
CAN4040-2.426