//A fearless brand of cricket by Duleep Mendis’ men was not enough to upset Australia, but it did earn Men in Red plaudits for the courageous outing at the T20 World Cup clash at Kensington Oval
Bridgetown, Barbados : In a fearless exhibition of cricket, brimming with character and unwavering resolve, Oman took on the formidable Australia in the Group B clash of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Wednesday night (Thursday morning, Oman time).
Despite their valiant efforts, Oman fell short by 39 runs against the former world T20 champions, registering their second consecutive loss in the tournament. Having restricted Australia to 164/5, Oman finished at 125/9
Nevertheless, Duleep Mendis’ players trooped out of the ground with heads held high, their unwavering spirit shining brightly on the global platform.
Having restricted Australia to 164/5, courtesy a spirited bowling display, Oman were never in hunt after the fall of early wickets against a world-class attack. But Omani players played like brave hearts at this iconic venue to impress one and all.
Ahead of the match, Oman skipper Aqib Ilyas had boldly claimed that they wouldn’t be overawed by the reputation of their rivals, and he walked the talk as Oman, after winning the toss, send the Aussies to bat.
Ilyas led from the front as he took a stunner to get rid of Glenn Maxwell off Mehran Khan, a catch that has been undoubtedly the best so far in the ongoing tournament.
Once again, Oman bowlers stood up to the challenge and gave an early scare to the heavyweights with early wickets and a squeeze on the run-rate.
Aussie openers, Travis Head and David Warner began well as they garnered 13 runs off the first two overs.
BILAL WITH BREAKTHROUGH
Oman struck in the third over as in-form Head, who had a successful IPL season recently, was caught at mid-off by Khalid Kail off Bilal Khan (19/1).
Skipper Mitchell Marsh joined Warner, but a disciplined Oman attack never gave much of a room for the duo to free their arms as they could manage only 37/1 at the end of powerplay.
With Marsh and Warner contained and boundaries getting dried, the pressure led to the captain’s dismissal off Mehran Khan while going for a big hit as he was caught at the long on boundary (50/2).
Mehran, who was Oman’s star bowler during the Super Over loss to Namibia in the opener with three wickets, continued his fine run as he got Maxwell out to a blinder from Ilyas in the covers off the next ball to leave Australia at 50/3.
Marcus Stoinis held his nerve to see off Mehran Khan’s hat-trick ball, but the challenge was just beginning for Australia’s hitters.
THE CATCH
Mehran bowled a fuller length outside off for the new batter Maxwell, who smashed hard and low towards cover where Ilyas flew like a football goalkeeper to his left and plucked the ball at full stretch with both hands, almost parallel to the ground.
Ilyas’ stunning catch reminded of a similar effort by former skipper Zeeshan Maqsood during the 2016 T20 World Cup match against Ireland in Dharamshala in India.
The inspirational grab from Ilyas lifted the morale of the team as they found new energy and a hope to restrict the Aussie batters to a fighting total.
BOUNDARY DROUGHT
Oman managed to keep their fancied rivals at bay for the first ten overs and it was an apt demonstration of their skills at the big stage.
At 56/3 at the halfway stage, Oman were very much into the game as the Aussies stumbled through a 30-ball boundary drought.
At the end of 12 overs, Australia were 63/3 and scoring at lesser than a run-a-ball. The tide turned when Warner managed back-to-back boundaries off left-arm spinner Zeeshan Maqsood in the 13th over.
STOINIS RIDES HIS LUCK
Stoinis rode his luck as Oman’s fielders dropped him twice, the first when he was on 9, and then another catching chance over the rope for six. The first chance was after his outside edge, induced by Ilyas, was fluffed by wicketkeeper Pratik Athavale.
Stoinis then broke free in Mehran’s final over – the 15th of the innings. It began with an error in judgement from Ayaan Khan, who took a catch at long-off but stumbled backwards into the ropes. He then powered three more sixes, all of them down the ground to plunder 26 off the over.
He brought up 50 off just 27 balls, before Warner joined him in the milestone club, playing a more anchoring role.
Warner departed in the 19th over, soon after his half-century, scoring 56 off 51 deliveries. The veteran opener surpassed Aaron Finch to become Australia’s highest run-getter in the format with 3,155 runs.
Stoinis remained unbeaten, compiling 67* off 36, as Australia set a total of 164 with the loss of five wickets – Tim David (9 off 4 balls) was run out on the final ball of the innings.
CHASE FALTER
Oman did well to restrict the powerhouse to 164/5 but were on the backfoot soon in the chase. Mitchell Starc got the new ball swinging in trademark fashion early.
A review confirmed the spearhead bowler had Oman right-hand opener Athavale trapped for a golden duck in the third ball of the innings – pad first, low and in line with middle stump.
The top order held it together, working hard to stay at the crease, until Pat Cummins’ replacement, Nathan Ellis, struck at the end of the fifth over.
Ellis produced a breakthrough scalp at the end of the fifth over dismissing Kashyap Prajapati LBW for seven runs off 16 balls.
And Stoinis got in on the act next over, catching the outside edge of Ilyas’ bat – the captain was dismissed for a run-a-ball 18. Stoinis did it again in the eighth over, getting Maqsood caught-behind wicket.
Despite being 34/4, Oman never gave up the fight, outlasting the full 20 overs, with one wicket up its sleeve. Khalid Kail (8) and Ayaan stitched a 22-run fifth wicket stand before Kail was caught by Maxwell of Starc and Adam Zampa bowled Shoaib Khan for a duck to leave Oman at 57/6 in 13 overs.
All-rounder Ayaan Khan top-scored with 36 runs off 30 balls in the middle order, his knock studded with two boundaries and two sixes. Mehran’s cameo of 27 off 16 balls included two maximums and a four, were the bright spots in batting as the pair shared a 32-run seventh-wicket partnership, the highest, as Oman finished 125/9.
Adam Zampa and Ellis claimed two wickets each. Stoinis was named the player of the match for his 36-ball 67 and 3 for 19.
