&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Dasun Shanaka’s fastest T20I fifty sees Sri Lanka crush Oman by 105 runs in T20 World Cup")
Sri Lankan all-rounder Dasun Shanaka slammed the quickest fifty for his country in T20Is in the just-concluded T20 World Cup Group game against Oman in Pallekele on Thursday (Feb 12), helping his team crush the minnows by 105 runs. The former world champions posted the highest team total (225-5) thus far in this edition, and their second-highest ever in this format. Sri Lanka restricted Oman to 120 for nine, with Dushmantha Chameera and Maheesh Theekshana returning with two wickets each.
For Oman, the 43-year-old Mohammad Nadeem fought a lone battle, hitting an unbeaten 53 to break the record for the oldest player to hit a T20 World Cup fifty.
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Shanaka pushed himself up the order and delivered a match-winning performance by smashing a 19-ball fifty, hitting five maximums and two fours.
It has been a bruising few months for the out-of-form Shanaka since reclaiming the captaincy late last year. But on a batting-friendly pitch, he smacked the Oman bowlers to all corners of the park, peppering the stands with five sixes and two fours. Before that, Pavan Rathnayake and Kusal Mendis laid the foundation as the pair each posted fluent half-centuries, stitching together a 94-run stand for the third wicket.
"After the last game, the manner in which I was dismissed, it was disappointing," Rathnayake said. "I wanted to make it count today, and glad I was able to score a half-century. Pallekele is always good for batting, and I enjoyed the outing. More importantly, the team is one more step closer to the second round."
Once the platform was set, Kamindu Mendis applied the finishing touches.
Fresh from his match-turning cameo in the win over Ireland, the left-hander scored an unbeaten 19 off just seven deliveries, striking one four and two sixes.
Oman was never really in the game as they fell to a second defeat at the tournament.
Sri Lanka spinner Maheesh Theekshana shared the new ball with Dushmantha Chameera, and they accounted for two wickets apiece.
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"We are a better side than what we showed today," said Nadeem. "On this pitch, we should have kept them for 180, but 225 was too much. We have had two bad games now, and it feels disappointing."
(With inputs from AFP)
