AUS vs OMA: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 | Match Prediction, Squads, Live Score & Stats

Fixture: Australia vs Oman
Tournament: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 – Group B
Match: 40th Match, Group B
Date & Time: 20 February 2026, 7:00 PM IST
Venue: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Match Preview

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Group B match between Australia and Oman is underway in Kandy. Australia have had a mixed performance so far, but they have not been able to guarantee progression, as they have managed only one win in the three matches prior to this match. Their tournament saw a heavy defeat to Sri Lanka and a shock defeat to Zimbabwe, unusual results for a team of Australia’s international stature and reputation.

Oman are struggling in Group B, having lost three matches to Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Ireland. However, Oman have shown moments of real resilience and combative performance with both bat and ball throughout their campaign and will be keen to end their group stage on a positive note despite their low position in the table.

A victory here is vital for Australia to keep their hopes of qualifying for the Super Eights alive. Meanwhile, Oman will relish the opportunity to challenge a major cricketing nation and end their maiden World Cup campaign with pride and a memorable performance.

AUS vs OMA – Head to Head (T20Is)

Format	Matches	AUS Won	OMA Won	Tied	NR
T20Is	1	1	0	0	0

Note: Australia and Oman have only played one T20 International match before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Australia won that match by 39 runs during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados on 6 June 2024.

AUS vs OMA – Squad List

No.	Australia Player	Role	Oman Player	Role
1	Mitchell Marsh (c)	Allrounder	Jatinder Singh (c)	Batter
2	Xavier Bartlett	Bowler	Aamir Kaleem	Middle-order batter
3	Cooper Connolly	Batting allrounder	Hammad Mirza	Wicketkeeper batter
4	Tim David	Middle-order batter	Jay Odedra	Bowler
5	Ben Dwarshuis	Bowler	Mohammad Nadeem	Allrounder
6	Nathan Ellis	Bowler	Nadeem Khan	Allrounder
7	Cameron Green	Batting allrounder	Ashish Odedara	Middle-order batter
8	Travis Head	Middle-order batter	Jiten Ramanandi	Bowler
9	Josh Inglis	Wicketkeeper batter	Shafiq Jan	Bowler
10	Matthew Kuhnemann	Bowler	Shah Faisal	Bowler
11	Glenn Maxwell	Batting allrounder	Shakeel Ahmed	Bowler
12	Matt Renshaw	Batter	Vinayak Shukla	Wicketkeeper batter
13	Steven Smith	Top-order batter	Karan Sonavale	Batting allrounder
14	Marcus Stoinis	Batting allrounder	Sufyan Mehmood	Bowler
15	Adam Zampa	Bowler	Wasim Ali	Batting allrounder

Pitch Report – Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy

Factor	Details
Stadium	Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy
Pitch Nature	Balanced wicket with good batting conditions
Batting Support	Pacers get bounce early; good for stroke play
New Ball Behaviour	Seamers can extract bounce and carry
Spin Factor	Spinners useful in middle overs
Match Pattern	Competitive totals expected
Average T20 Score Range	~165–190+
Toss Strategy	Batting first often preferred under lights
Safe/Defending Score	175+ competitive

Team Analysis

Australia

Australia has an experienced batting core in Travis Head, Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Tim David and Josh Inglis who all have quality records. They have a variety of bowling options in the form of Adam Zampa for spin, Nathan Ellis and Xavier Bartlett for pace and others. They have experienced options in Cameron Green and Marcus Stoinis who can bat and bowl in all conditions.

Their concern is that Australia’s campaign has been inconsistent, with a major defeat putting them under serious qualification pressure heading into this must-win match.

Key players to watch include Mitchell Marsh who leads the team and is the key all-rounder in both the batting and bowling strategy. Travis Head is a top-order run-scorer whose aggressive approach sets the platform. Adam Zampa is the main spin bowler and leading wicket-taker who controls the middle overs. Steve Smith brings the experience of anchored batting in pressure situations.

Oman

Oman has some experienced T20 performers like Hammad Mirza, Vinayak Shukla, Aamir Kaleem and Mohammad Nadeem who can contribute with bat or ball or both. Individual players like Jiten Ramanandi have taken wickets consistently in the group play which shows really good quality.

Their concern is that Oman is yet to win this World Cup and their batting and bowling units have struggled to stop strong opponents throughout the tournament.

Key players to watch out for are Hammad Mirza who drives the top-order batting and sets the tone for the innings. Vinayak Shukla has explosive batting ability that can trouble any bowling attack. Jiten Ramanandi is a leading bowler who is capable of making breakthroughs that create pressure.

Toss Prediction

The Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy offers a balanced surface where batsmen can enjoy stroke-making opportunities. There is a possibility of mist in the night session which will make bowling difficult later. The captain who wins the toss may choose to bat first and set a challenging score in the second innings which will be difficult to chase due to the mist.

Cricbites Match Prediction

Team	Winning Chance (%)	Reason
Australia	70%	Strong batting and bowling depth despite a shaky campaign
Oman	30%	Underdog with capable performers but inconsistency

Cricbites Prediction: Australia will win based on overall squad strength, though Oman can cause problems if they play with confidence and exploit any mistakes.

Final Thoughts

This Group B clash between Australia and Oman is pivotal for Australia’s tournament survival. Australia must win to stay alive in Super Eight contention with net run rate also potentially mattering. Oman will be determined to put up a notable performance and close their campaign strongly with a result they can be proud of.

Expect rich batting opportunities in the powerplay overs on Kandy’s flat surface. Tactical spin overs from Zampa and Oman’s bowlers in middle overs will create fascinating battles. Tight bowling adjustments under lights in the death overs will determine final totals and chase strategies.

Australia’s quality should prevail but Oman have nothing to lose and can play freely without elimination pressure which sometimes produces upsets in World Cup cricket.

Disclaimer

This preview and prediction are based on verified squad details, current tournament standings and known pitch conditions at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. Cricket is unpredictable and actual results may vary due to toss outcomes, weather and individual performances on the day from any player on either team.

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Who is the captain of Australia in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026?

The captain of Australia in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is Mitchell Marsh.

Q2. Who is the captain of Oman in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026?

The captain of Oman in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is Jatinder Singh.

Q3. When and at what time will AUS vs OMA be played?

Australia will face Oman on 20 February 2026. This match is scheduled to start at 7:00 PM IST.

Q4. Where is the match being played?

The AUS vs OMA T20 World Cup 2026 match will be played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele, Sri Lanka.

Q5. What is the match number of AUS vs OMA in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026?

This match is the 40th match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in the Group B stage.