SL, minus Hasaranga, take on Oman at bogey venue
Hemantha could play instead of Hasaranga, who has been ruled out of the tournament
Madushka Balasuriya
Feb 11, 2026, 10:57 AM • 16 hrs ago
Dushan Hemantha, the leg-spinning allrounder, is on paper a like-for-like for Hasaranga • Sri Lanka Cricket
Big picture: Hasaranga-less SL face Oman
On most days Sri Lanka would enter Thursday's clash in Kandy against Oman as heavy favourites. They've beaten Oman in their solitary meeting - an ODI in 2023 - and are generally formidable in home conditions. But the psychological and tactical knock-on effects of Wanindu Hasaranga being ruled out of the tournament provide an intriguing backdrop.
The star legspinner is a renowned bully of Associates and those lower down the T20 rungs, as highlighted by his match-turning 3 for 25 against Ireland, whose batters found him too much to handle even on one leg. His absence therefore leaves a massive hole in Sri Lanka's middle-overs containment plan - one Oman will no doubt be looking to exploit - while his power-hitting will also be missed.
His replacement, legspinning allrounder Dushan Hemantha, is like-for-like cover on paper, but the only area in which Hemantha has regularly excelled in in his handful of international white-ball outings has been in the field. The pressure will squarely shift to Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage to spearhead the spin attack, with neither being as proficient a wicket-taker as Hasaranga.
Sri Lanka's bowling had been their trump card coming into this tournament, but Hasaranga's injury following that of Eshan Malinga's days prior to the tournament have exposed yet another chink in their armour.
Sri Lanka's batting concerns have also been exacerbated by Hasaranga's absence. The middle order has struggled for consistency, particularly against spin - a challenge they're likely to face in abundance against a spin-centric Omani attack - and now one of their better spin hitters is out.
Runs up the order from Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis have been crucial to Sri Lanka's recent successes, while a revelatory knock from Kamindu Mendis against Ireland has offered hope lower down. But you sense the key to an unlikely upset will be whether Oman can access Sri Lanka's soft middle cheaply - do that and it's anybody's game.
For Oman, this is a quintessential do-or-die fixture. Currently at the bottom of Group B after a loss to Zimbabwe, they must secure a victory to keep their Super Eight hopes alive. They can draw confidence from their warm-up victory over a Sri Lanka A side earlier this month, where Aamir Kaleem's blistering 80 and Vinayak Shukla's finishing proved they can compete with the islanders' second string. They will also need to find a way to contend with the express pair of Dushmantha Chameera and Matheesha Pathirana, having lost nine wickets to Zimbabwe's seamers in their opener.
Recent form
Sri Lanka WLLLW (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
Oman LWWLW
Oman LWWLW
In the spotlight: Kamindu and Shakeel
Kamindu Mendis wasn't even supposed to be here. But Sri Lanka are grateful that he is. Picked, dropped, and picked again, Kamindu has never been sure of a place in Sri Lanka's XI, but a Player-of-the-Match 44 off 19 against Ireland has removed the doubts. Sri Lanka had been crying out for his ability to bat anywhere in the middle order and provide impetus through the middle overs - particularly against spin.
Sri Lanka's batters struggled to get away Ireland's modest spin offering at the Khettarama. The pitch in Pallekele might not be as helpful, but recent history has shown that spinners will still play a role. As such, Sri Lanka will need to be particularly wary of Shakeel Ahmed's accuracy. He picked up 2 for 24 against the Sri Lanka A side, and if the Pallekele pitch offers any turn, he is the most likely candidate to exploit the co-hosts' historical struggles against disciplined left-arm spin.
Team news: Hemantha replaces Hasaranga?
Hasaranga's injury will test Sri Lanka's resolve in whether they stick to a 6-5 combination. Hemantha could slot in for Hasaranga, or Sri Lanka might opt for an extra batter.
Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kamil Mishara, 3 Kusal Mendis (wk), 4 Pavan Rathnayake, 5 Kamindu Mendis, 6 Dasun Shanaka (capt), 7 Dunith Wellalage, 8 Dushan Hemantha, 9 Dushmantha Chameera, 10 Maheesh Theekshana, 11 Matheesha Pathirana.
Oman have no injury concerns and are likely to name an unchanged XI.
Oman (probable): 1 Jatinder Singh (capt), 2 Aamir Kaleem, 3 Hammad Mirza, 4 Wasim Ali, 5 Karan Sonavale, 6 Jiten Ramanandi, 7 Vinayak Shukla (wk), 8 Sufyan Mehmood, 9 Nadeem Khan, 10 Shah Faisal, 11 Shakeel Ahmed.
Pitch and conditions: Clear skies on the cards
The pitches in the recent Sri Lanka-England series proved a mixed bag for the batters, but following recent comments from Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka and an ICC mandate for good batting tracks, we can expect runs. This is a day game, so there could be early moisture in the surface and assistance for the seamers. The weather is expected to stay clear, and be less humid than Colombo.
Stats and trivia
- Currently on 2461 runs, Pathum Nissanka needs 39 more to become the first Sri Lankan to the 2500 mark in T20Is.
- Sri Lanka have won just 10 of 24 T20Is in Pallekele, losing 11. They've won only one of their last five at the venue.
- Oman have only once defeated a Test-playing nation in their history - Ireland in 2019. A victory over Sri Lanka would represent their first win over a Full Member in a T20 World Cup.
Quotes
"I don't think it's going to be a crowd pressure for us because we already played the games against India in Abu Dhabi. So boys performed pretty well and I'm expecting the same thing. I think it's a booster for our team, playing in front of this kind of crowd, so they are more motivated and more energised in the ground."
Vinay Shukla is looking forward to playing in front of a capacity crowd in Pallekele.
Vinay Shukla is looking forward to playing in front of a capacity crowd in Pallekele.