PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka (AP) — Australia crushed Oman by nine wickets in a dead rubber at the T20 World Cup on Friday, reaching its winning total with more than 10 overs remaining.
Defeats against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka had already seen the shocked Australians exit the tournament at the first stage.
Adam Zampa, who went wicketless against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, picked up 4-21 as Australia bowled out Oman for 104 in 16.2 overs after captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and chose to field.
Marsh then blazed a 26-ball half century inside the power play and motored Australia to 108-1 in only 9.4 overs for a consolation win. Marsh smashed seven fours and four sixes in his 33-ball unbeaten 64 and Travis Head scored 32 off 19 deliveries before he skied a catch when Australia needed 12 runs for victory.
Australia finished third in Group B while Oman rounded off its campaign with four defeats in four games and was last in the five-team group.
The indifferent form of Marsh’s men had encouraged Oman skipper Jatinder Singh to declare “it is the best time to crush” Australia on the eve of the game. Instead, Australian bowlers dominated.
Xavier Bartlett (2-27) crashed the leg stump of Aamir Kaleem off the very first ball and Singh also got clean bowled by Bartlett inside the power play after hitting three boundaries in his knock of 17.
Zampa and Glenn Maxwell (2-13) struck regularly in the middle overs before Wasim Ali scored 32 off 33 balls and helped Oman reach the 100-run mark. Zampa grabbed his fourth four-wicket haul at T20 World Cups by claiming the last two wickets off successive deliveries.
The Super 8 stage of the tournament begins Saturday with Pakistan taking on New Zealand in Colombo in Group 2 that also features co-host Sri Lanka and England. The unbeaten teams in the group stage — defending champion India, South Africa, West Indies and Zimbabwe – are in Group 1.
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