Shanaka's 19-ball fifty leads Sri Lanka to big win over Oman at T20 World Cup

PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka (AP) — Captain Dasun Shanaka broke his own record for the fastest Twenty20 half-century for Sri Lanka as they crushed Oman by 105 runs at the T20 World Cup on Thursday.

Shanaka’s 19-ball 50 along with Kusal Mendis' 61 and Pavan Rathnayake's 60 against a weak bowling attack propelled Sri Lanka to a tournament-best 225-5.

Oman labored to 120-9 in reply, the wickets shared by five bowlers. Off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana led with 2-11 off four overs.

Sri Lanka was two wins from two games but yet to meet Group B rivals Australia and Zimbabwe.

Oman's 43-year-old Mohammad Nadeem became the oldest man to score a half-century in the history of the T20 World Cup with an unbeaten 53 from 56 balls. Nadeem was one of the only two Oman batters to reach double figures with Wasim Ali scoring 27.

Sri Lanka lost Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishra inside the power play but Rathnayake and Mendis featured in a brisk 94-run third-wicket stand off 52 balls.

Shanaka smacked five sixes to surpass his previous Sri Lanka record of a 20-ball half-century against India in 2023 before he holed out at long-off of the very next ball.

Debutant Italy opted to field against Nepal as both teams chased their maiden victory at the tournament in Group C.

Co-host India, which beat the United States in its Group A opener, plays Namibia at New Delhi later.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Sri Lanka's Dushmantha Chameera, right, celebrates with teammates the wicket of Oman's Captain Jatinder Singh, left, during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Oman and Sri Lanka in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis plays a shot during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Oman and Sri Lanka in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka's Pavan Rathnayake plays a shot during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Oman and Sri Lanka in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka's captain Dasun Shanaka plays a shot during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Oman and Sri Lanka in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — The Olympic men's skeleton race begins Thursday, and all eyes at the start will be on Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych.

Will he or won't he?

It's the biggest question in sliding at the Milan Cortina Games.

Heraskevych plans to wear his banned helmet — a tribute to Ukrainian athletes and coaches killed during the war with Russia — in the race, despite the International Olympic Committee saying it violates its rules on political statements and isn't appropriate for competition.

If Heraskevych races with the helmet, he risks sanctions that could go as far as disqualification from the Olympics. And that would put the IOC in a difficult spot, because kicking an athlete out of the Games for paying tribute to those killed in a war would draw tons of criticism.

The IOC has sided with Heraskevych before. When he displayed a “No war in Ukraine” sign after his fourth and final run at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, the IOC said he was simply calling for peace and did not find him in violation of the Olympic charter.

“We want him to compete. We really, really want him to have his moment,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams said Wednesday. “That’s very, very important. We want all athletes to have their moment and that’s the point. We want all our athletes to have a fair and level playing field.”

The first two runs of the race are Thursday, with the final two runs on Friday night. Heraskevych is a legitimate medal hopeful, and he's evidently willing to risk his chance at a medal for his tribute to those he considers heroes.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

A scoreboard, that indicates that Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych did not start, is seen at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych arrives at the finish during a men's skeleton training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Mykhailo Heraskevych, father of Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych, reacts as he sits next to the start house of the sliding center at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych talks to the media at the start house of the sliding center at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych holds up his crash helmet during a press conference following a skeleton training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Steve Moore)

Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych starts for a men's skeleton training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych starts for a men's skeleton training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych starts for a men's skeleton training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych, left, talks to the media during a men's skeleton training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)