T20 World Cup: Sri Lanka battle middle-order woes and Hasaranga’s absence
The Hindu
Sri Lanka faces middle-order challenges and the absence of Hasaranga as they prepare to battle Oman in the T20 World Cup.
Sri Lanka will have to iron out their batting inconsistencies, particularly in the middle overs, and rework their bowling combination in the absence of an injured Wanindu Hasaranga when they take on Oman in a Group B match of the T20 World Cup in Pallekele on Thursday (February 12, 2026).
The former champions were dealt a severe blow after Hasaranga, their most potent spin weapon, was ruled out of the tournament with a hamstring injury sustained during their opener against Ireland.
Sri Lanka had a disappointing build-up to the ICC showpiece, entering the tournament on the back of a 0-3 drubbing by England at home. However, the co-hosts made a positive start to their campaign with a 20-run win over a tricky Ireland.
The victory, though, could not mask their batters’ struggle against spin.
The 2014 champions failed to hit a single boundary between the seventh and 15th overs after Ireland introduced spin, an area Oman will look to exploit.
Things could have turned messy but for Kamindu Mendis, who smashed a 19-ball 44 in the death overs to lift Sri Lanka to a competitive total.
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