Saturday 14 / December / 2024
Muscat: Nestled in the lap of brown mountain ranges, the lush green turf of Amerat cricket ground provided the perfect launch-pad for Oman Cricket to get into the big league.
The Oman-Sri Lanka match on the picturesque ground was a milestone moment for the cricket aficionados in Oman.
With milky high mast lights on in the evening, the green grass presented a shimmering spectacle to the eyes.
Though the gentle breeze in the afternoon lowered the surrounding temperature, for the officials who were organising this big match for the first time, the heat was palpable as they wanted the event to pass on with needle precision.
With the event becoming a great success, it brought smiles back on the faces of organisers in the end.
And the Omani cricket team did not let them down with their courageous fightback. They put the Sri Lankans under pressure right from the word-go. Had the Omani team not dropped some catches and the openers given them a decent start, the visitors would have been biting the dust.
Some lusty hitting in the end brought the Oman team supporters back on their feet. Among the most vociferous supporters was the Oman Cricket Chairman Pankaj Khimji who cheered every run scored by the home team, not to speak of the maximums. Despite the best efforts of hosts, the island nation scraped through victory.
A boisterous crowd of Sri Lankan fans gave a stupendous support to their team with the sound of drum beats reverberating in the stadium. The music, quite soothing to the ears, made the match much more entertaining. The presence of the Sri Lankan Ambassador further boosted the morale of the visiting team.
With COVID-19 protocols strictly enforced, the masked visitors had to present their double vaccination certificate to the authorities at the entry gate. A posse of Royal Oman Police personnel kept a hawk eye on the entire proceedings.
The players were kept in bio-bubble with others prevented from going near them.
When the ball was hit for a maximum or crossed the boundary for four, nobody touched it and only the players were allowed to take back the white ball. And once when a spectator touched the ball after it was hit for a maximum, the leather had to be sanitised by the umpire.
After the end of the match, Duleep Mendis, the Oman cricket team coach, rued the missed chances and said had the top order given a good start, the story would have been different. But it was a good show by the Oman team at the big stage and they did not disappoint the cricket lovers in Oman.
