Thursday 26 / December / 2024
MUSCAT: Fancied Pakistan A bounced back from their opening game defeat against India to register a comprehensive 74-run win over hosts Oman in their Group B match of the ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup at the Oman Cricket Academy ground on Monday.
It was the largest margin of win for Pakistan Shaheens as they picked up their first points in the tournament while Duleep Mendis’ Team Red suffered their successive second defeat to almost put them out of contention of advancing to the semi-finals.
Chasing a formidable 186 to win after Pakistan A registered their highest score of the event so far with 185/5, Oman batters never were in hunt as they lost wickets at regular intervals with only skipper Jatinder and young Wasim Ali making decent scores of 24 and 28 respectively. Zaman Khan was the pick of Pakistan A bowlers with 2/17 while all the other bowlers in action picked a wicket apiece.
Oman could manage only 34 runs for the loss of one wicket in the powerplay and with Pakistan bowlers keeping a tight stranglehold, the chase was never there as the hosts could manage 111 for seven.
Earlier, Pakistan successfully overcame an impressive display of bowling from Oman’s youngest player, Muzahir Raza, who struck early to dismiss both openers – skipper Mohammad Haris and Yasir Khan – within the space of two balls during the third over.
Omair Yousuf (25) helped stabilise the innings, partnering with top-scorer Qasim Akram (48) in a 72-run stand for the third wicket, lifting Pakistan to 56/2 by the end of the powerplay.
Oman found a breakthrough in the 11th over when all-rounder Sufyan Mehmood dismissed the dangerous Yousuf, caught off his own bowling. Leg-spinner Samay Shrivastav then bowled Akram in the 14th over, just as he seemed poised for a half-century, leaving Pakistan at 106/4. Akram's innings featured three sixes and two boundaries.
However, Oman’s bowlers struggled to contain Pakistan in the death overs, conceding 79 runs in the final 6.3 overs. Rohail Nazir played a blistering knock, smashing an unbeaten 41 off just 20 balls, including three boundaries and two sixes. He was ably supported by Arafat Minhas, who hammered 31 off 15 deliveries, with two sixes and two boundaries. Together, they shared an explosive 69-run unbroken partnership. Abdul Samad also contributed 20 off 12 balls before being dismissed by Wasim Ali, the last wicket to fall for Oman.
Muzahir Raza was the standout bowler for Oman, claiming 2/29, while Ali, Mehmood, and Shrivastav each took a wicket.
Brief scores: Pakistan A 185/5 in 20 overs (Omar Yousuf 25, Qasim Akram 48, Rohail Nasir 41 n.o., Arafat Minhas 31 n.o., Abdul Samad 20; Muzahir Raza 2/29, Wasim Ali 1/42, Samay Shrivastav 1/18, Sufyan Mehmood 1/20) beat Oman 111/7 in 20 overs (Jatinder Singh 24, Wasim Ali 28, Hammad Mirza 14; Zaman Khan 2/17).
