Australia beat Oman by 104 runs in 16.2 overs at Palleke on Friday as captain Mitchell Marsh smashed 64 off 33 balls (7×4, 4×6) and Travis Head hit 32 off 19 balls (6×4) to chase down the target with stunning authority to seal victory in just 9.4 overs. In the process, they set the joint-fastest 100-plus chase record in the T20 World Cup.
Australia exited an exciting tournament with a commanding margin of victory with a nine-wicket victory, but the show was frustratingly late.
Pacemaker Xavier Bartlett set the tone early when he struck the first delivery off Aamir Kaleem. This set off a remarkable sequence of play: Oman’s first four wickets were all taken, underscoring Australia’s precision and discipline.
Bartlett replaced Jatinder Singh for 17 after the Oman captain counterattacked briefly with three clear boundaries. Karan Sonawale and Hamad Mirza threatened in the short term but Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa ensured that neither could convert their first order.
Wasim Ali was Oman’s lone holdout, contributing 32 points (4×4) in 33 games in a determined defender’s effort. However, he lacked support. Zampa claimed 4/21 off the lower order, while Glenn Maxwell’s deputy took 2/13.
This is the fourth time Zampa has taken four wickets in the T20 World Cup. The leg-spinner was supposed to be Australia’s ace in the tournament. Zampa finally got his act together en route to a consolation win for Australia.