Day 5 of the T20 World Cup 2026 promises another action-packed triple-header as teams look to build early momentum in the tournament. Sri Lanka will aim for back-to-back wins when they take on Oman at the Pallekele International Stadium. After a confident start to their campaign against Ireland, the hosts will look to tighten their grip on the group, while Oman face a crucial fixture in their bid to stay in contention.
At the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Nepal return to action following their heartbreaking four-run loss to England. The Rhinos pushed a former T20 World Champion to the brink and will now look to channel that belief into a strong performance against Italy.
The day concludes with India facing Namibia. After a nervy outing against the USA, the defending champions will seek a more clinical display, while Namibia aim to bounce back from their opening defeat to the Netherlands.
When and where to watch
Sri Lanka vs Oman in Pallekele in a Group B match at 11 am IST
Nepal vs Italy in Mumbai in a Group C match at 3 pm IST
India vs Namibia in Delhi in a Group A match at 7 pm IST
All matches will be telecast on Star Sports, with livestreaming available on JioHotstar.
Here is a quick preview of the three games scheduled on Day 4 of the T20 World Cup.
MATCH 1 Prediction: Sri Lanka vs Oman in Pallekele
Sri Lanka will aim to build on their promising start to the T20 World Cup 2026 when they take on Oman in a key Group B clash at the Pallekele International Stadium. The co-hosts opened their campaign with a solid 20-run victory over Ireland, posting 163 for six and then holding the visitors to 143. The spin duo of Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana were instrumental in restricting Ireland, while Kamindu Mendis’s 56 anchored the innings and provided stability.
However, Sri Lanka have suffered a blow ahead of this match with Hasaranga ruled out due to a hamstring injury, after which Dushan Hemantha has been named as his replacement. Losing their lead spinner will require adjustments in the bowling line-up and could put extra pressure on the middle order to forge partnerships on a pitch that has already favored bowlers.
Oman, on the other hand, will be eager to recover after a disappointing loss to Zimbabwe. The visitors were bundled out for just 103, with the Chevrons chasing it down comfortably with eight wickets in hand. Oman’s top order struggled to make an impact, highlighting ongoing batting concerns.
Still, Oman showed promise in warm-up fixtures and will aim to exploit any lapses in Sri Lanka’s batting. Their bowling, led by Sufyan Mehmood against Zimbabwe, will need to be disciplined to challenge the hosts and keep the match competitive.
Pitch Report
The pitch in Pallekele has generally favoured batters, with the average first-innings score standing at 166 across 30 T20Is since 2011. The upcoming fixture will mark only the third occasion that the venue has hosted a day T20I.
Weather conditions are expected to be cloudy, with thunderstorms forecast around 1 PM. Temperatures are likely to hover around 25 degrees Celsius.
Predicted Playing XIs
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Pavan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dunith Wellalage, Dushan Hemantha, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana
Oman: Jatinder Singh (c), Aamir Kaleem, Hammad Mirza, Wasim Ali, Karan Sonavale, Jiten Ramanandi, Vinayak Shukla (wk), Sufyan Mehmood, Nadeem Khan, Shah Faisal, Shakeel Ahmed
MATCH 2 Prediction: Nepal vs Italy in Mumbai
After narrowly missing out on a historic win against England, Nepal will be eager to turn promise into a long-awaited victory when they face Italy at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The Rhinos fell short by just four runs in a thrilling chase of 185, finishing on 180 for 6, with Dipendra Singh Airee, Rohit Paudel, and Lokesh Bam all playing key roles in a chase that drew global attention.
Nepal’s fearless batting and disciplined bowling have raised expectations as they aim for their first T20 World Cup victory since 2014. Their near-upset against a two-time champion has given the team confidence to take charge against other Group C sides.
Italy, making their T20 World Cup debut, have faced early setbacks. They were beaten comprehensively by Scotland by 73 runs, being bowled out for 134 while struggling to chase a strong target. The loss was compounded by captain Wayne Madsen’s shoulder injury, leaving him doubtful for the rest of the league stage—a major blow to Italy’s leadership and batting depth.
Despite these challenges, Italy showed promise, with Ben Manenti scoring a fifty and him forging a spirited partnership with his brother Harry. The Azzurri will be determined to regroup and deliver a more cohesive performance against a confident Nepal side.
Pitch Report
The pitch at the Wankhede Stadium is expected to be a belter, with a high-scoring contest on the cards. The average first-innings score from 11 T20Is at the venue is 185, suggesting that the bowlers could be in for a tough outing. Batting second should be the way forward given the batting-friendly conditions. The conditions are set to be ideal for cricket, with temperatures hovering around 34 degrees Celsius and no rain forecast.
Predicted Playing XIs
Nepal: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Rohit Paudel (c), Dipendra Singh Airee, Aarif Sheikh, Lokesh Bam, Gulsan Jha, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Sandeep Lamichhane, Sher Malla
Italy: Justin Mosca, Anthony Mosca, JJ Smuts, Marcus Campopiano, Harry Manenti, Ben Manenti, Gian Meade (wk), Grant Stewart, Crishan Kalugamage, Ali Hasan, Thomas Draca
MATCH 3 Prediction: India vs Namibia in Delhi
India will aim for a far more polished display when they take on Namibia in Delhi, having endured a tense start to their campaign against the USA. The defending champions secured a 29-run victory, but the contest highlighted vulnerabilities in both departments. A dramatic top-order collapse left them reeling at 77 for six before skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten 84 revived the innings and restored control.
As they prepare for Thursday’s encounter at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, India are dealing with a few selection concerns. Abhishek Sharma, who fell for a golden duck against the USA, was hospitalised due to a stomach infection and remains doubtful. Sanju Samson has been training in the nets and is likely to slot in should Abhishek fail to recover in time.
There is better news on the bowling front, with Jasprit Bumrah returning to full training. His availability could see Mohammed Siraj step aside despite his solid outing in the opener.
Namibia, on the other hand, will be eager to respond after a seven-wicket defeat to the Netherlands, where Bas de Leede played a decisive all-round role. Though competitive in patches — including an encouraging showing against India A — Namibia will need a complete performance to trouble India.
For the hosts, the match offers an opportunity to not only register a second Group A win but also fine-tune combinations ahead of the high-profile clash against Pakistan.
Pitch Report
The pitch in New Delhi has been competitive with something there for both batters and bowlers. The average score from 9 T20Is is 165, which means it won’t be a run fest with bowlers also having a say. In night matches, the average score increases to 170.
There is no chance of rain for the time being in Delhi. Temperatures will be around 23 degrees Celsius. The humidity will be in the 60s and 70s.
Predicted Playing XIs
India: Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah
Namibia: Louren Steenkamp, Jan Frylinck, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Gerhard Erasmus (c), JJ Smit, Zane Green (wk), Dylan Leicher, Ruben Trumpelmann, Willem Myburgh, Bernard Scholtz, Max Heingo
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