MUSCAT: After the first two games of the series ended up in close encounters, the third T20I match between Oman and Namibia ended in an anti-climax with the hosts registering a convincing eight-wicket win at the Oman Cricket Academy ground in Al Amerat on Thursday.
An all-round effort from Oman bowlers saw Namibia, who were put to bat first, collapse to a meagre 101/8 and the hosts achieved victory in just 11.1 overs to go 2-1 up in the five-match series.
Wicketkeeper-batter Naseem Khushi, who was playing his first match of the series, opened the batting for the hosts in the chase and blasted a 40-ball 66 that comprised six maximums and three boundaries to ensure a comprehensive eight -wicket victory. Khushi was later adjudged the player of the match.
Aqib Ilyas, who captained the side in place of rested Zeeshan Maqsood, made a quick fire unbeaten 13-ball 26 that was studded with three boundaries and one six as Oman batters made light of the paltry target after the hosts’ bowlers produced a sensational display earlier in the day.
Khushi and Jatinder Singh, who too was playing the first game of the series, set up the chase with a 46-ball stand in 5.4 overs. Jatinder was first to depart, caught and bowled by Bernard Scholtz, for seven runs.
With Khushi in rampant mood, it rubbed on Ilyas, as the pair took the score to 98 in 10.3 overs before the opener departed for a brilliant 66. The hosts won the match four balls later with Ilyas and Ayaan Khan at the crease.
The win was set up by the Oman bowling battery with the pacers and spinners delivering a clinical performance. Medium pacers Kaleemullah (1-18), Fayyaz Butt (2-28) and Mohammad Nadeem (2-16) were all among the wickets while the spin duo of Ilyas (2-13) and Samay Shrivastav (1-9) also tormented the visiting batters.
Kaleemullah began the proceedings with a wicket of Malan Kruger in the third over and the team’s total at only three. JP Kotze and skipper Gerhard Erasmus then shared a 31-run stand to rebuild the innings, but Nadeem broke the partnership in the eighth over as he castled Kotze for 18.
Namibia skipper Erasmus was accounted by his stand-in counterpart, Ilyas, who made no mistake with the catch on his follow through. The Oman off-spinner had another wicket in his next over as the visitors slumped to 49/4. Shrivastav made it 55/5 in the 13th over with the wicket of in-form and dangerous David Wiese.
It was left to Ruben Trumpelmann (26) and Jan Frylinck (22) to wage a fightback but Nadeem broke the 37-run partnership in the 19th over with the team still six runs away from century mark.
Fayyaz Butt then delivered a double-blow in the final over as he sent back Frylinck and Dylan Leicher off the first two balls to be on a hat-trick but Simon Petrus Shikongo denied him the feat. Scholtz hit a boundary off the last ball to see the team cross 100-run mark as Namibia finished at 101/8.
The fourth T20I will be played at the same venue on Friday before the final match of the series on Sunday.
Brief scores: Namibia 101/8 (JP Kotze 18, Jan Frylinck 22, Ruben Trumpelmann 26; Fayyaz Butt 2-28, Mohammad Nadeem 2-16, Aqib Ilyas 2-13) lost to Oman 104/2 in 11.1 overs (Naseem Khushi 66, Aqib Ilyas 26*).
