‘We just lack a bit of experience’, says Oman skipper Jatinder after UAE loss

Sports Tuesday 16/September/2025 17:45 PM
By: Times News Service
‘We just lack a bit of experience’, says  Oman skipper Jatinder after UAE loss

MUSCAT: Oman captain Jatinder Singh conceded that his side’s inexperience proved costly against the UAE in their Asia Cup fixture on Monday in Abu Dhabi but insisted the team is heading in the right direction as it continues to find its feet at the top level.

On Monday, during their Group A match, UAE had scored 172/5 and then bowled Oman out for 130 in 18.4 overs.

Speaking during the post-match presentation, Jatinder said: “Well, I believe credit goes to the UAE batters — the way they started their innings, they had their plans and executed them well.”

 “When we started, we were right on target but I think we lost too many wickets. I feel the team is picking up; we just lack a bit of experience. I think in the coming years, we’ll be firing at full throttle.”

Jatinder pointed out that the surface eased out as the evening progressed, making batting more straightforward for the opposition.

“The track was quite placid, especially in the evening. The ball came nicely onto the bat; we knew a good powerplay was important, but that didn’t happen,” he said.

On his dismissal after he had struck four boundaries, Jatinder said: “I feel he (Junaid Siddique) bowled as per the plan, with a slower one, but I was a bit early in the shot.”

Oman batter Aryan Bisht echoed the skipper’s views but underlined the importance of sticking to strategies at this level. “We failed to execute our plans and UAE had a better game plan,” Bisht admitted in the post-match press conference. 

The 20-year-old added: “Asia Cup is a big learning stage and playing alongside Test-playing nations will give the team a lot of exposure. We are now looking forward to our final game against India and will give our best.”

For the UAE, captain Muhammad Waseem praised his side’s aggressive start and the meticulous preparation that went into the contest.

“As I said, the past is past for us [big India defeat in their opening match]. We wanted to show our calibre and the way we want to play, and we did that. We talked in the meeting, prepared three days before, and executed our plans. We wanted to play aggressively in the powerplay, and we did exactly that,” he said.

Waseem, who also crossed the milestone of 3,000 career runs during the game, called the win “a proud moment” and stressed his desire to continue leading from the front.

With one match left against heavyweights India, Oman’s campaign offers another tough test. For Jatinder and Bisht, however, the bigger picture is clear: every outing at this level adds to the team’s experience, something they believe will soon turn into consistent results.