Kandy
\nDasun Shanaka hammered the fastest half-century by a Sri Lankan in T20Is as the co-hosts thrashed Oman by 105 runs at the World Cup on Thursday in Pallekele for their second win in Group B.
\nThe 2014 champions piled up 225-5, the highest total of the tournament, before restricting an outclassed Oman to 120-9.
\nThe 43-year-old Mohammad Nadeem waged a lone battle for Oman, compiling an unbeaten 53 to become the oldest player to score a fifty in T20 World Cups.
\nHaving promoted himself up the order and under pressure to deliver, Sri Lanka skipper Shanaka smashed a 19-ball half-century.
\nIt has been a bruising few months for the out-of-form Shanaka since reclaiming the captaincy late last year.
\nBut 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.
\nBefore 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.
\n\u201cAfter the last game, the manner in which I was dismissed, it was disappointing,\u201d Rathnayake said.
\n\u201cI 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.\u201d
\nOnce the platform was set, Kamindu Mendis applied the finishing touches.
\nFresh 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.
\nOman were never really in the game as they fell to a second defeat at the tournament.
\nSri Lanka spinner Maheesh Theekshana shared the new ball with Dushmantha Chameera and they accounted for two wickets apiece.
\n\u201cWe are a better side than what we showed today,\u201d said Nadeem.
\n\u201cOn 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. \u201c<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Kandy Dasun Shanaka hammered the fastest half-century by a Sri Lankan in T20Is as the co-hosts thrashed Oman by 105 runs at the World Cup on Thursday in Pallekele for their second win in Group B. The 2014 champions piled up 225-5, the highest total of the tournament, before restricting an outclassed Oman to 120-9. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":531073,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-531063","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n