MUSCAT: A dominant Oman outplayed UAE by nine wickets in a Group B match to register their third successive win in the ACC Men’s Premier Cup T20I tournament at the Oman Cricket Academy ground on Monday.
For the second successive day, rains and wet outfield delayed the game and the game was curtailed to 15 overs a side.
Having defeated Bahrain in the opener and Cambodia on Sunday, the third victory for Duleep Mendis-coached side meant they stayed on top of the group with a game remaining.
Oman will play their concluding game against Kuwait on Wednesday with a win sealing the top spot. UAE are at second spot with four after Monday’s loss with Kuwait at third with two points but having played a game less.
Nepal with three wins currently lead Group A.
On Monday, Oman chased down the target of 143 to win in 12.4 overs, as Kashyap Prajapati and Khalid Kail slammed unbeaten half-centuries and Naseem Khushi made a brisk 39 off 15 balls.
Oman openers – Prajapati and Khushi - were in rampaging form as the hosts sprinted to 30 for no loss in just two overs with the wicketkeeper-batter Khushi blasting 25 off just eight balls that included three huge sixes.
Oman raced to 50 in only three overs with Prajapati at 18 and Khushi at 30.
The duo seemed to be in a hurry, with rains threatening to disrupt the match, as they shared a 67-run stand in 4.4 overs before Khushi departed for 15-ball 39 off Ali Naseer.
His cameo included four hits over the ropes and two boundaries. Khushi also set a new Oman record for most sixes in T20Is as he reached 48 to better Zeeshan Maqsood’s 44.
Having laid a solid platform, Kail joined Prajapati and the pair kept the momentum as they took Oman past 100 in 7.4 overs. At the end of eight overs, the hosts were 104/1 with Prajapati on 35 and Kail on 27.
NO RESPITE
There was no respite for the UAE bowlers as the pair smashed them all around the park with Prajapati reaching his 50 off 33 balls that included five boundaries and two maximums. He stayed unbeaten on 53.
Kail was not to be left behind in the run chase as he stayed unbeaten on 50 off 23 balls, a knock that was studded with five sixes and two boundaries, as Oman completed an emphatic win, reaching 147/1 with 14 balls remaining as the three batters hit a total of 11 sixes.
Earlier, Oman skipper Zeeshan Maqsood hoping to capitalise on overcast conditions, opted to field after winning the toss.
Pacer Bilal Khan gave Oman a dream start with a wicket off the second ball of the innings as he clean-bowled Alishan Sharafu. Fayyaz Butt castled Vishnu Sukumaran in the third over to leave UAE struggling at 16/2. At the end of the powerplay, UAE were 39/2.
Skipper Muhammad Waseem and Asif Khan then got into the act to resurrect the innings as they put on a 88-run valuable third-wicket partnership in eight overs, before Bilal got the breakthrough with the wicket of Waseem.
The duo’s 50-run stand came off 31 balls and UAE crossed 100-run mark in 9.4 overs.
The UAE skipper made a 25-ball 45 with four boundaries and two sixes. Oman’s third pacer Kaleemullah sent back Basil Hameed in the 13th over as UAE tried to accelerate the run-rate.
Asif Khan stayed till the final ball of the innings for a standout innings of 66 off 45 balls that included six fours and two sixes as UAE finished at 142/5.
He reached his half-century in 37 balls and only his onslaught helped the side reach a competitive total before being adjudged leg-before to Bilal who finished with three wickets for 11 runs.
Brief scores: UAE 142/5 in 15 overs (Muhammad Waseem 45, Asif Khan 66; Bilal Khan 3/11) lost to Oman 147/1 in 12.4overs (Kashyap Prajapati 53*, Naseem Khushi 39, Khalid Kail 50*).
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