T20 WC 2026: Australia vs Oman pitch report and Pallekele Stadium stats

Australia and Oman face off in Match 40 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Thursday, with both sides already eliminated and playing for pride.

Australia will be keen to sign off on a positive note after a disappointing campaign that ended their Super Eights hopes. Injuries to key fast bowlers Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc disrupted the team’s balance, while inconsistent batting performances added to their struggles. Captain Mitchell Marsh is expected to continue leading a line-up that still carries plenty of firepower through Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell and Tim David, and the match could offer fringe players a final chance to impress ahead of a likely post-tournament review.

Oman, meanwhile, are searching for their first win after heavy defeats in all three group matches. Skipper Jatinder Singh will look to experienced campaigners Aamir Kaleem and Sufyan Mehmood to guide the side, while bowlers Shakeel Ahmed and Mohammad Nadeem are expected to shoulder responsibility. With no pressure of qualification, Oman will aim to play freely and finish their campaign on a competitive note against a strong Australian outfit.

The surface at this venue is expected to favour batters, with an earlier T20 World Cup 2026 fixture producing a high-scoring contest in which Sri Lanka posted 225 in 20 overs. The pitch offered good bounce and carry, allowing stroke-makers to play freely once set. Bowlers may need to rely on variations, especially in the middle overs, as conditions appear conducive to run-scoring. Teams winning the toss could prefer to bat first to put pressure on the opposition. 

This will be the first time Australia and Oman will face each other in a T20I at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele on Friday.

The most recent T20I match played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele, was Match 32 of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 between Ireland and Zimbabwe. The match was abandoned without a toss, and the points were shared. Zimbabwe, with the solidarity point, confirmed their place in the Super 8 round.

Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele: Key T20I stats

Pallekele stadium key T20I stats
Statistic	Value
Total Matches	32
Matches won batting first	16
Matches won bowling first	13
Average 1st Innings Score	168
Average 2nd Innings Score	145
Highest Total Recorded	263/3 (20 Ovs) – AUS vs SL
Lowest Total Recorded	88/10 (16 Ovs) – NZ vs SL
Highest Score Chased	178/2 (18.4 Ovs) – PAK vs BAN
Lowest Score Defended	133/10 (16.2 Ovs) – SL vs ENG