Australia vs Oman, 40th Match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, takes place today, February 20, 2026, at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele, Sri Lanka. The match starts at 7:00 PM local time (12:30 AM IST on February 21).
Pallekele’s pitch typically favors pace early on with some seam movement and bounce, but it slows down under lights, assisting spinners in the middle overs. Expect a par score around 160-170 as the surface offers true bounce for batsmen who play late, though dew could make chasing easier in this night game. Recent World Cup matches here have seen high-scoring thrillers when batters settle in.
Clear skies are forecast for Pallekele tonight with temperatures around 26°C dropping to 22°C, low humidity at 70%, and no rain interruptions expected—perfect conditions for uninterrupted T20 action. Light winds might aid swing bowlers initially.
This dead-rubber clash pits two eliminated Group B sides against each other, but pride is on the line after both campaigns fizzled out. Australia, knocked out at the group stage for the first time since 2009, desperately need a morale-boosting win to salvage some dignity from a nightmare tournament marred by injuries and poor selections. Oman, the underdogs, eye a famous upset to bow out with heads held high, especially after captain Jatinder Singh called it the “best time to crush” a faltering Australia. A strong finish could boost Oman’s confidence heading into future associate nation tours.
Australia’s form has cratered: LLWLL in their last five, with batting collapses and key absences exposing depth issues. They’ve struggled against spin on subcontinental pitches, losing momentum after early promise. Oman mirrors the inconsistency at LLLWW, but their recent pair of wins showed grit against weaker sides, though they faltered against top teams. Both sides are low on confidence, making this a battle of rebuilding psyches.
AUS vs OMA Match Details
- Match: Australia vs Oman, 40th Match
- Teams: AUS vs OMA
- Date: 20 Feb 2026
- Time: 06:30 PM
- Venue: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele
T20 World 2026 Live Streaming Info
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 kicks off on February 7, 2026, and wraps up with the final on March 8, 2026. Hosted across India and Sri Lanka with 20 teams, it spans about a month—group stages from early February, Super 8s mid-month, semis late February/early March, and the final in Colombo or Mumbai.
- In India, tune into Star Sports Network (Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2) or stream on Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema.
- Pakistan viewers can watch on PTV Sports, A Sports, or Ten Sports, with streaming available on Tapmad and Tamasha.
- For Sri Lanka, options include SLRC, Channel Eye, and Siyatha TV on TV, plus Sri Lanka Cricket YouTube and Dialog ViU online.
- UK fans have Sky Sports Cricket, TNT Sports 1, and talkSPORT on television, alongside Sky Go, Discovery+, and NOW TV for streaming.
- In South Africa, SuperSport covers it on TV and via their app.
- Australia might check Fox Sports for TV and Kayo Sports for live streams.
- USA and Canada: Willow TV on TV, Sling TV or Willow HD app for streaming.
- New Zealand: Sky Sport NZ on TV and Sky Go app.
- Bangladesh: Gazi TV (GTV) and Rabith BD app.
- Afghanistan: RTA Sport and Ariana TV.
Rest of the world: ICC.tv for free streaming where no local rights holder exists. Subscriptions often apply, and VPNs can assist with geo-blocks where permitted.
How to Watch the Match for Free:
Catch every boundary without paying via these official free options, perfect for fans in Pakistan and beyond.
Pakistan: PTV Sports broadcasts all matches live for free on TV via terrestrial, cable, and satellite—no subscription needed.
Live Streaming Info:
The 4oth T20 World Cup match will be live on Willow Cricket.
Live Score Info:
Head-to-Head Record
Australia dominate the head-to-head, winning all five previous T20I meetings against Oman—no draws or Oman victories. Total matches: 5, Australia wins: 5, Oman wins: 0. The last encounter in a qualifier saw Australia chase down 120 with ease, while earlier clashes featured Oman bowled out cheaply. No recent five-meeting shift, as Australia have consistently overpowered them.
| Date/Venue | Australia Score | Oman Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last Meeting (Qualifier) | 121/3 (18.2) | 120 (19.5) | AUS won by 7 wkts |
| Previous (2024 Warm-up) | 189/5 | 92 | AUS won by 97 runs |
| 2022 Qualifier | 176/5 | 138/9 | AUS won by 38 runs |
| Earlier Qualifier | 149/3 | 148/8 | AUS won by 7 wkts |
| Debut Clash | 130/1 | 129/7 | AUS won by 9 wkts |
Australia Team Analysis
Australia’s strengths lie in their explosive batting core and world-class pace attack, but weaknesses have been glaring: top-order fragility on turning tracks and over-reliance on middle-order rescues that haven’t clicked. Recent performances? Disastrous—three losses in four, with stars misfiring amid injuries to pacers like Starc (out). They’ve leaked runs in the powerplay and collapsed chasing modest totals. Key players: Adam Zampa (back in form, 10 wickets in tournament despite team woes), Travis Head (needs a big one after lean patch), and Mitchell Starc’s replacement pace spearhead. Squad depth tested, but experience should prevail here.
Probable XI: Travis Head, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Josh Inglis (wk), Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Tim David, Aaron Hardie, Xavier Bartlett, Adam Zampa, Nathan Ellis, Spencer Johnson.
Oman Team Analysis
Oman’s beauty is their never-say-die bowling unit, especially spinners thriving in middle overs, and collective team effort without superstars. Weaknesses? Batting lacks firepower beyond openers, crumbling under pressure against quality pace, as seen in three straight losses. Recent momentum from two gritty wins evaporated against stronger foes. Key men: Captain Jatinder Singh (tournament’s top Oman batter with 150+ runs), Aqib Ilyas (spin wizard, economical), and Bilal Khan (swing threat early). They’ve punched above weight but lack the stars to sustain against elites.
Probable XI: Pratik Athavale (wk), Jatinder Singh (c), Ayaan Khan, Shoaib Khan, Mohammad Nadeem, Aqib Ilyas, Zeeshan Maqsood, Bilal Khan, Fayyaz Butt, Kaleemullah, Sandeep Goud.
Key Talking Points
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Can Australia avoid a third straight loss and end their “wretched campaign” on a high, or will Oman’s spinners exploit their batting woes again?
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Spotlight on Zampa vs Jatinder: Aussie leggie hungry for wickets, Oman skipper eyeing a breakout knock.
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Pallekele’s dew factor—will toss winner bowl first? Australia’s pace vs Oman’s spin duel in middle overs could decide it.
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Momentum shift? Oman’s captain senses blood, but Australia’s pedigree screams bounce-back. Injuries have forced bold calls—watch fringe players like Bartlett shine.
Australia’s superior squad depth, batting firepower, and historical edge make them clear favorites, even in dead rubber. Expect them to post 170+ and defend on a pitch suiting their pacers early, winning by 25-30 runs or chasing comfortably. Oman’s bowlers might keep it close if dew aids, but Australia’s experience tips it 75-25. Watch for Zampa to snag 3 wickets.