Saturday 20 / September / 2025
MUSCAT: Oman may have lost to world champions India by 21 runs in their concluding Asia Cup Group A clash in Abu Dhabi on Friday, but their spirited performance earned admiration across the board.
On a night when many expected India to dominate, Oman’s grit and discipline won respect — not just from their captain Jatinder Singh, but also from Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav and Player of the Match Sanju Samson.
Chasing 189, Oman fought valiantly to reach 167 for 4, thanks to two half-centuries from veteran Aamir Kaleem (64) and Hammad Mirza (51). Their partnerships kept the game alive until the final overs, drawing applause from the Zayed Cricket Stadium crowd.
India’s innings had earlier been anchored by Samson’s elegant 56 off 45 balls, supported by Abhishek Sharma’s explosive 38 from just 15 deliveries.
Yet, India never had things their way. Oman’s bowlers, led by Shah Faisal (2 for 23), Kaleem (2 for 31) and Jitenkumar Ramanandi (2 for 33), stuck to their plans to restrict them to 188 for 8.
Jatinder’s pride in his team
Captain Jatinder Singh was effusive in his praise. “I am extremely proud of the unit. They had their plans and executed them well. The boys have shown great character in front of the world’s No.1 team. We lack a little experience and exposure, but this game was a blessing in disguise,” he said.
With the ICC T20 Asia & East-Asia-Pacific (EAP) World Cup Qualifier set for Muscat next month, Jatinder believes the timing of such exposure is perfect. “We have a World Cup qualifier happening in October and the boys are ready,” he added.
Under coach Duleep Mendis, Oman will target qualification for their fourth ICC T20 World Cup and second in succession.
Jatinder singled out Kaleem, 43, for his evergreen energy and skills against India. “He’s the most energetic on the field or at training,” said the skipper. “He’s the most disciplined guy, even though he’s
40-plus. On the field, he’s electrifying. He brings great energy, and we’re so grateful he’s part of our team.”
All-rounder Ramanandi also drew his captain’s appreciation. “He’s a utility player and a team man. The way he shows up, the energy he passes on — it’s really commendable.”
Respect from India’s stars
India skipper Suryakumar Yadav was equally generous in his praise. “Oman played an unbelievable brand of cricket. Knowing their coach, I knew there would be something from them. It was amazing — I really enjoyed watching them bat,” he remarked.
But Yadav’s respect went beyond words. After the match, the Indian captain made his way to the Oman dugout, where he spent several minutes speaking to the players.
Jatinder described it as a memorable experience for his young team. “I am so thankful that he came and had a chat with the boys. He was talking about different phases of the game, how to stay calm, how to play T20 cricket smartly. The boys heard him with full attention. He was really praising the Oman team. It meant so much to us,” said Jatinder.
Yadav said he wanted Oman to take confidence from their display. “The kind of energy they showed on the field, the way they bowled and batted — it tells me this team is ready for bigger challenges. They should believe they belong here. I told them that if they carry this same spirit into the World Cup qualifiers, they will be tough to beat,” he said.
Sanju Samson, who top-scored for India, also credited Oman for making the contest tough. “They bowled really well, especially in the powerplay,” he said.
Jatinder also hopes that the next step would be to get some exposure in domestic tournaments in India, or the chance to train in a high-performance environment somewhere.
“If we can get India coming forward, and allow us to make their home as our home, where we can train there, go to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and work with skilled trainers, work on the mental aspect, fitness, it’ll be great,” he said. “Also, the exposure against club teams, matches against Ranji teams - that’ll definitely help us fill the gap.”
Building for the future
Despite going winless in the tournament on their debut, Jatinder saw more positives than negatives.
“This was a perfect platform for the boys to see where they stood, and they did not hold anything back. As an Associate nation, we don’t get to play Test teams often, so we are fortunate to get to this stage,” he said.
Oman may not have secured a win in Abu Dhabi, but they walked away with pride intact and belief strengthened. From disciplined bowling to fearless batting under pressure, they showed they can compete with the very best.
Having concluded their maiden Asia Cup winless, the focus shifts homeward for Oman — to the Asia and East Asia Pacific World Cup qualifier, which will feature nine teams and be played at the Oman Cricket Academy ground in Al Amerat from October 8.
The top three teams will qualify for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
