Oman name unchanged side for tri-series against Nepal and USA

Shahzad Raza -

MUSCAT, JAN 21 -

Captain Zeeshan Maqsood will lead an unchanged Oman side to Nepal for participation in the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series that also involves USA which currently head the seven-team points table with 12 points from 8 matches, winning six and losing two.

The series will be held in the Nepali capital of Kathmandu from February 5 to 12.

Focusing on continuity in team selection for better results, Oman, coached by Sri Lankan great Duleep Mendis, has stuck to the same set of players that took part in the home tri-series in December involving UAE and Namibia.

These matches are part of a series of 36 One-Day Internationals that Oman will play against USA, UAE, Scotland, Namibia, PNG and Nepal in multiple tri-series over a period of 30 months since getting ODI status in April 2019.

With 8 points from 8 games so far, Oman will be looking to add as many points to their tally as possible to rise from their current fourth place on the table with Namibia and Scotland occupying third and second places respectively. UAE is fifth with 7 points from 8 games followed by PNG which have no points after losing all the games they have played so far. Nepal, who are yet to play any game in the ICC CWC League 2, will play their first tri-series and the opening match is against Oman on February 5.

The following day, Oman will take on USA who are expected to be well prepared for the games after a 10-day preparatory camp in Mumbai where they will play some practice games against strong local sides. After a day’s rest, the on-field action will resume on February 8 with Nepal facing USA and Oman in back-to-back games in two days. The last round will see USA taking on hosts Nepal and Oman on February 11 and 12.

Oman squad: Maqsood (captain), Aqib Ilyas (vice-captain), Jatinder Singh, Khawar Ali, Sanuth Ebrahim, Suraj Kumar, Muhammed Naseem, Sandeep Goud, Muhammed Nadeem, Jay Odedra, Baadal Singh, Ahmed Fayyaz Butt, Kaleemullah, Bilal Khan

Reserves: Amir Kaleem, Khurram Nawaz Khan, Gopendra Bohara, Ajay Lalcheta

Officials: Chef de Mission - Pankaj Khimji, Manager - Madhu Jesrani, Coach - Duleep Mendis, Assistant Coach - Mazhar Saleem Khan, Trainer: Everhardus Laubscher, Video Analyst - Zeeshan Ahmed Siddiqui, Physio – Sean Nowak.