Colombo, Feb 12 (IANS) Oman captain Jatinder Singh admitted Sri Lanka’s quality and experience proved decisive after his side suffered a 105-run defeat in their Group B clash of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on Thursday.

Chasing a daunting 226 after Sri Lanka piled up 225/5 on the back of half-centuries from Pavan Rathnayake, Kusal Mendis, and Dasun Shanaka, Oman were restricted to 120/9 despite a fighting unbeaten 53 from Mohammad Nadeem.

Reflecting on the contest, Jatinder felt his side showed the right intent but were ultimately outclassed by a superior opponent. “I think we were very positive. We couldn’t take much from the first game; we were always in the game today, but Sri Lanka were a better side, putting us under pressure, and 225 was a bit too much.”

Sri Lanka’s relentless batting display, capped by Shanaka’s explosive 20-ball fifty, left Oman with a mountain to climb — something Jatinder acknowledged was always going to be difficult against a seasoned Full Member side.

“There’s hardly anything you can do with the skill level; perhaps be a bit more positive with the mindset. If you see our squad, there are hardly 4-5 guys who have played 40+ T20Is.”

Oman lost early wickets in the chase, including that of Jatinder himself, and never truly recovered as Sri Lanka’s bowlers maintained tight control throughout the innings.

The Oman skipper pointed to the broader structural challenges facing Associate teams, particularly the lack of regular exposure to top-tier opposition.

“We lack experience. The sad reality is that we don’t get too many matches against full members and have no exposure to franchise tournaments. Our coaches and the management are trying their best, but we can’t do much without a lot of T20 exposure. But we’ll keep trying our best.”

Despite the heavy defeat, Jatinder stressed that the team remains committed to improving and making the most of opportunities at global events, even as they continue to bridge the experience gap against elite sides.

–IANS

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