(ESPNCRICINFO) – 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
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 rattle 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.
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 Jay 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’s second over. Wasim, 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.
