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 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.

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 Shafiq Jan off consecutive balls. The Oman innings was wrapped up with 3.4 overs to spare.