Oman are champions

MUSCAT: The setting for the match was nothing short of a cricketer’s dream: a picturesque ground, a packed stadium with nearly 30,000 enthusiastic spectators, some even perched on trees, displaying their love for the game. The coveted title was on the line, and Nepal aimed to celebrate their qualification for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

Oman, who had also secured their place in the 2024 T20 World Cup with Nepal, were determined to finish as the only unbeaten team in the eight-nation Asia qualifier.

And they did achieve it in a thrilling style, as Duleep Mendis’ team emerged triumphant, breaking Nepali hearts in a nail-biting clash that required a super over to determine the winner. Oman concluded their successful trip to Nepal with five successive wins.

The one-over eliminator was forced as the match was tied as Oman chased 184 set by the hosts in the Asia Qualifier Final at the Tribhuvan University ground in Kirtipur on Sunday.

In the super over, Oman outplayed Nepal by 11 runs as Naseem Khushi blasted 19 runs, studded with three sixes, off Nepal’s pacer Abinash Bohara to take Oman to 21/0.

Bilal Khan conceded just ten runs and took a wicket of Kushal Bhurtel off the first ball as Nepal could only manage 10 runs in the end to give Oman a deserving win.

Earlier, Oman, chasing 185 to win, were restricted to 184/9 with seasoned Mohammed Nadeem playing a crucial knock of 24 off nine balls to tie the match.

Needing eight to win in the

final over, Oman lost two wickets off successive balls from Sandeep Lamichhane but Nadeem hit a four off the penultimate ball to set up a GrandStand finish. With 2 runs needed off the last ball, Nadeem got run out when returning for the second run to tie the game.

Oman’s chase was kept on track as opener Kashyap Prajapati played a stellar innings of 63 off 52 balls that included four maximums and three boundaries.

Aqib Ilyas (33 off 19 balls) and skipper Zeeshan Maqsood (26 off 18 balls) kept the momentum with crucial knocks to take the game deep into the final overs. Maqsood also became the top scorer for Oman in T20Is with 1,100 runs following his knock, getting past Jatinder Singh’s 1,078 runs.

Hosts Nepal elected to bat first and put up a solid total of 184, courtesy an unbeaten 52 from skipper Rohit Paudel and Gulshan Jha’s hurricane 54 off 25 balls.

Opener Kushal Bhurtel hit 31 at the top to help his team put on 47 in the powerplay. A late cameo of 20 off just six balls from Karan KC put Nepal in a good position to defend.

Oman’s Fayyaz Butt went for runs aplenty as he conceded 63 runs in his four-over spell while Bilal Khan was the most successful with 3/26.

Ilyas picked 2/22 and Maqsood had one for 27. Butt’s 63 runs in four overs were the most given by an Oman bowler in T20Is.

At the awards ceremony, Oman swept the individual awards after lifting the winner’s trophy. Prajapati was named the Player of the Match. Aqib Ilyas was named the Player of the Tournament with 106 runs and 10 wickets to his name and pacer Bilal Khan was declared the best bowler of the tournament.

Both Oman and Nepal booked their spots in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 after winning their respective semi-final

matches against Bahrain and the UAE respectively on Friday. It will be Oman’s third appearance at the T20 World Cup with the previous coming in 2016 and 2021.

At the 2024 T20 World Cup, for the first time, 20 teams will form part of the event and will be divided into four groups of five.

The top two teams in each of the groups will move to a Super Eight phase, where the remaining teams will be split into two groups of four. The top two in each group will then make their way to the semi-finals.

Brief scores: Nepal 184/6 (Kushal Bhurtel 31, Rohit Paudel 52*, Gulshan Jha 54; Bilal Khan 3/26, Aqib Ilyas 2/22) tied with Oman 184/9 (Kashyap Prajapati 63, Aqib ILyas 33, Zeeshan Maqsood 26, Mohammed Nadeem 24*; Sandeep Lamichhane 2/31, Karan KC 2/30). Super over: Oman 21/0 (Naseem Khushi 19) beat Nepal 10/1).