ASIA CUP, 2025
UAE beat Oman by 42 runs. © Asian Cricket Council
The UAE made light work of neighbours Oman, knocking them out of the tournament and securing India’s place in the Super 4s. After posting a sizeable 172/5 on the back of fifties from both openers, the UAE strangled their opponents early by picking up four wickets inside the PowerPlay. Junaid Siddique starred with the ball as Oman’s chase never really took off.
Where was the game won?
In the PowerPlay. The UAE started with caution – sizing up conditions before unlocking their shots to start strong. On the contrary, Oman wilted under scoreboard pressure and threw their wickets away early. Losing four wickets for just 41 runs in the PowerPlay, Oman’s hopes of chasing a steep 173-run target were doused before ever really being ignited.
Parameters UAE Oman Score 50/0 41/4 Run rate 8.33 6.83 4s/6s 9/0 4/0
UAE
Powerplay – UAE charge ahead
Phase score – 50/0 [RR: 8.33, 4s/6s: 9/0]
Asked to bat first in blisteringly hot conditions at Abu Dhabi, the UAE were stifled early by Ahmed who bowled two tight overs. Several attempts to break free yielded no results as Oman managed to establish early control. The UAE managed to flip the script in the fourth over though as Alishan Sharafu managed to break the shackles with two boundaries – charging Shah Faisal both times to first hit him back down the ground and then carve him through point. Having measured the surface, UAE skipper Muhammad Waseem joined the onslaught as he struck three fours off the following over bowled by Aamir Kaleem. Sharafu continued to manufacture his own pace as he charged and smacked Hassnain Shah for three consecutive boundaries through the off-side to close out the PowerPlay.
Middle overs – A jostle for control
Phase score – 66/2 [RR: 7.33, 4s/6s: 3/3]
The UAE continued to surge ahead with Sharafu striking the first six of the innings when he lofted Samay Shrivastava over extra cover. The second six came only two balls later when Waseem lifted one clean over long-off. Oman were denied a breakthrough, and Waseem was handed a reprieve after Hammad Mirza misjudged a catch on the long-on boundary. Oman’s sloppy fielding continued as Waseem was dropped again in the next over with Ahmed putting down a much simpler high catch at square leg. The breakthrough, however, came just two balls later for Oman as Sharafu, who had just got to fifty, was bowled by Jiten Ramanandi. While Waseem survived a close LBW shout, Asif Khan was sent packing early after chopping a googly from Shrivastava back on to his stumps. Even as Oman managed to string together a few tight overs, Waseem managed to keep his side on track though and notched up fifty in the 15th over with a six down the ground.
Death overs – UAE cut loose
Phase score – 56/2 [RR: 11.20, 4s/6s: 4/4]
Muhammad Zohaib’s brisk hand kept the UAE going while Waseem maintained stability at the other end. The duo’s 49-run stand came off just 29 deliveries and even after it was broken, with Zohaib miscuing a pull off a slower short ball, Harshit Kaushik’s arrival injected further momentum in UAE’s innings as he struck two consecutive sixes and a four in the 19th over. Despite the final over yielding just eight runs, with Waseem running himself out and Rahul Chopra holing out the very next delivery, the UAE still managed to finish with a sizeable 172/5.
OMAN
Powerplay – Early wickets rock Oman
Phase score – 41/4 [RR: 6.83, 4s/6s: 4/0]
In pursuit, Oman were jolted early after Junaid Siddique had Aamir Kaleem caught at mid-off in the very first over. A chance for a second wicket went begging when Muhammad Jawadullah put Hammad Mirza down two balls later. Still working the pace of the wicket out, Jatinder Singh found gaps through the off-side thrice in a row with uppish drives but he was gone next over after chopping a shortish delivery on to his stumps – handing Siddique a second wicket. Oman hit further hurdles after Wasim Ali and Hammad Mirza fell in consecutive overs. Things could have been worse if the UAE hadn’t fumbled a run-out chance. Dhruv Parashar bowled a tight over, in which he had two shouts for LBW turned down, to round out an excellent bowling PowerPlay for the UAE.
Middle overs – Oman mount futile resistance
Phase score – 63/3 [RR: 7.00, 4s/6s: 5/1]
Shah Faisal flattered to deceive as he struck a massive six before falling two balls later. Having lost half their side, Aryan Bisht and Vinayak Shukla’s attempts to arrest the slide came at the cost of consuming deliveries. With boundaries few and far between, the UAE tightened their grip on the contest. Jawadullah ended the 36-ball 38-run stand by uprooting Bisht’s off-stump before returning to claim Jiten Ramanandi in his next over.
Death overs – Formalities complete
Phase score – 63/3 [RR: 7.00, 4s/6s: 5/1]
With the contest going nowhere, Siddique hastened Oman’s slow surrender by picking up two more wickets in the 16th over. He was unable to claim his maiden fifer but finished with impressive figures of 4/23 nonetheless. To their credit, Oman’s last pair did not throw in the towel and stuck around. Ahmed even pulled Rohid Khan for a massive six over deep square leg but their resistance came to an end when Waseem scored a direct hit at the bowler’s end to catch Shrivastava well short of his ground.
Brief Scores: UAE 172/5 from 20 overs (Muhammad Waseem 69, Alishan Sharafu 51; Jiten Ramanandi 2-24) beat Oman 130 all-out from 18.4 overs (Aryan Bisht 24; Junaid Siddique 4-23, Muhammad Jawadullah 2-18, Haider Ali 2-22) by 42 runs
What’s next for the teams?
With Oman’s exit and India’s progression confirmed, the upcoming game between the two sides will be a dead rubber. The UAE, meanwhile, will have much more at stake when they take on Pakistan in what will be a straight shootout for a spot in the Super 4s.
© Cricbuzz
