MUSCAT: Skipper Jatinder Singh produced a captain’s knock of 51 while Hasnain Shah delivered a career-best spell (4-26) as Oman defeated Scotland by 12 runs in a rain-reduced 20-over ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series ODI clash in Windhoek, Namibia, on Wednesday, registering their second successive win.
Coached by Sulakshan Kulkarni, Oman’s previous win was against the hosts Namibia on April 4 after their opener against Scotland was abandoned without a ball bowled due to damp conditions on April 2.
More bad weather in Windhoek led to a 20-over contest, down from the scheduled 50, on Wednesday.
Oman made the most of a blazing start before holding their nerve with the ball to defend 163-7, restricting defending champions Scotland to 151-9.
Jatinder led from the front with a fluent 51 off 37 balls, striking five boundaries and a six, bringing up his tenth ODI half-century. The knock also took his tally to 1,766 ODI runs, reinforcing his position as Oman’s leading run-scorer. Alongside his opening partner, Ashish Odedara, who hammered 43 off 29 balls with four fours and two sixes, the pair stitched together a dominant 100-run opening stand that laid the foundation for Oman’s total.
Oman raced to 100 without loss at the halfway stage, but the innings lost momentum dramatically once the openers departed in successive overs. A middle-order collapse followed as Mujibur Ali (12), Hammad Mirza (8), Wasim Ali (0) and Vinayak Shukla (0) fell in a cluster, with the score slipping from 100-1 to 130-6.
Scotland clawed their way back into the contest through disciplined bowling, with Safyaan Sharif striking twice in a pivotal 15th over — including two wickets for ducks — while Jack Jarvis and Michael Leask also picked up two wickets each.
However, Oman found late impetus through Shakeel Ahmed, whose unbeaten 23 off 19 balls, including a six and a four in the final over of Sharif, proved crucial in pushing the total to a competitive 163-7. Extras added a further 16 runs.
ON BACK FOOT
In reply, Scotland’s chase never quite gathered sustained momentum. They lost George Munsey early in the second over, followed by Finlay McCreath in the next, leaving them immediately on the back foot. Brandon McMullen injected some urgency with a brisk 22 off 12 balls, including two successive sixes, but his dismissal, along with that of captain Richie Berrington (23 off 20), stalled the chase.
Wicketkeeper Matthew Cross top-scored with 24 off 26 balls, but regular wickets — including crucial strikes in both the 18th and 19th overs for minimal runs — derailed Scotland’s hopes despite a 17-run final over from Wasim Ali.
Shah was the standout performer with the ball, ripping through the middle order, and was adjudged the player of the match. He was well supported by Samay Shrivastava (2-27), while Muhammed Imran (1-15), Wasim Ali (1-20) and Shakeel Ahmed (1-36) ensured constant pressure as Oman closed out a disciplined bowling effort.
The victory lifts Oman to third in the League 2 standings with 13 wins from 23 matches, behind leaders USA (36 points from 24 games) and second-placed Scotland (32 from 27). The Netherlands sit fourth with 28 points from 24 matches.
With back-to-back wins boosting confidence, Oman will look to maintain their momentum when they face hosts Namibia in their final tri-series match on April 10.
Brief scores: Oman 163-7 in 20 overs (Jatinder Singh 51, Ashish Odedara 43, Shakeel Ahmed 23*; Saafyan Sharif 2-37, Jack Jarvis 2-32, Michael Leask 2-18) beat Scotland 151-9 in 20 overs (Matthew Cross 24, Richie Berrington 23; Hasnain Shah 4-26, Samay Shrivastava 2-27, Wasim Ali 1-20, Muhammad Imran 1-15).
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