Keshav Maharaj, Alyssa Healy win ICC Player of the Month awards for April
Harmer, Maharaj in contention for ICC 'Player of the Month' award for April
World T20 2021 | BAN vs OMA: Shakib Al Hasan storms Bangladesh back into Super 12 contention
World T20 2021: After contrasting starts, Oman need to stick to basics, Bangladesh have questions to answer
Bangladesh wouldn’t have thought that they would begin the World T20 2021 campaign in such a dismal manner. The Asian side suffered a 6-run defeat at the hands of Scotland in the first match. While the Bangladesh bowlers did the hard work in the beginning, Chris Greaves nullified it with some fine piece of batting to help his side put 140/9 in 20 overs on the board after being left tottering at 53/6. Greaves didn’t just stop here as he also scalped a couple of wickets during the course for the Scotland team. But Bangladesh’s major concern would be their batting as neither they got a decent start to the proceedings nor were they able to capitalise on the partnership between Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim that provided them with some resistance. Apart from this, another issue that was also raised by captain Mahmudullah after the game was that the batsmen weren’t able to score runs quickly which eventually created pressure on them. "We didn't deliberately bat slowly. We couldn't hit those boundaries. We have to bat better next time,” he said. Oman on the other side, would be riding high on confidence after they clinched a 10-wicket win against PNG in the opener in Al Amerat. The hosts began the proceedings with a wicket maiden when Bilal Khan sent Tony Ura packing for a five-ball duck. Later, Kaleemullah who was sharing the ball with Bilal also picked up a wicket in his first over. But then the PNG captain Assad Vala and Charles Amini came to the rescue with an 81-run partnership for the third wicket but Amino’s runout broke the shackles and Oman began to pick wickets at regular intervals but it was in the 16th over when Oman skipper Zeeshan Maqsood ripped through PNG’s batting order and scalped three wickets in one over and eventually returned with a four-wicket haul in the innings. PNG were restricted to 129/9 in 20 overs and later, Oman openers Jatinder Singh and Aqib Ilyas stamped authority and helped the side clinch a win by 10 wickets in less than 14 overs. Bangladesh and Oman will now lock horns with each other in Al Amerat on Tuesday (October 19, 2021). Ever increasing concerns for Bangladesh The Bangladesh team would have had faith in their most experienced batters, Mushfiqur, Shakib and Mahmudullah to help them in time of crisis. But that trust had thoroughly been shaken after none of the batsmen could manage to take the team over the line in the last match against Scotland. Another issue that has already been addressed by the captain is that the batsmen failed to fire all the cylinders during the chase and were under pressure at the end. The middle-order definitely needs to go all guns blazing if Bangladesh want to make a comeback in the tournament. Third and the final area of concern for the team management is that the bowling unit didn’t capitalise on the kind of start they got against Scotland. They did pick up early wickets but failed to wrap up the innings quickly. Confident Oman Oman certainly are in the best form at the moment. Their bowlers have been picking up wickets while the batters have dominated the opponents thoroughly. The hosts don’t really need to do much and should stick to the basics and can take advantage of Bangladesh already being under tremendous pressure. Match Details Oman vs Bangladesh, Match 6, Group B Venue: AI Amerat Cricket Ground Oman Cricket, (Ministry Turf 1) Date & Time: 19th October at 7:30 PM IST and 6:00 PM Local Time Live Streaming: Star Sports Network Pitch Report The track might have something on offer for the bowlers, especially spinners in the middle overs. Moreover, it is an evening encounter so dew can play a vital role during the contest. So, if you win the toss, elect to field. Probable XI Bangladesh: Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan, Musfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah (c), Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan (wk), Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed Oman: Aqib Ilyas, Jatinder Singh, Kashyap Prajapati, Zeeshan Maqsood (c), Mohammad Nadeem, Ayaan Khan, Sandeep Goud, Mohammad Naseem Khushi (wk), Kaleemullah, Bilal Khan, Khawar Ali CE Fantasy XI Musfiqur Rahim, Nurul Hasan, Jatinder Singh, Aqib Ilyas, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan (C), Mahmudullah, Zeeshan Maqsood, Mustafizur Rahman (VC), Taskin Ahmed, Bilal Khan
World T20 2021 | Jatinder-Maqsood lead Oman to thumping 10-wicket win in tournament opener against PNG
It was a historic game for both Oman and Papua New Guinea as they opened up the extravaganza called T20 World Cup 2021. Oman’s Jatinder Singh, Aqib Ilyas and Zeeshan Maqsood made sure that it remained one for them as they thrashed the pacific nation by 10 wickets with 38 balls to spare. This huge victory will not only boost their confidence but also come in handy if it comes down to net run rate later in the tournament. The target of 130 set up by PNG never seemed to be a problem for the Omani opening pair of Singh and Ilyas, who were batting together for the very first time as openers. The fact that there were three dropped catches, one catch falling short of the wicketkeeper, one caught off the no-ball and some very average fielding by the PNG team, but that does not take away the fact that Singh and Ilyas batted brilliantly. The 131 runs unbeaten stand between the two openers is also the second-highest partnership for any wicket for Oman, missing the highest score by just one run. While Jatinder made an unbeaten 73 off 42 balls, even as he started slowly in the powerplay, Ilyas on the other end was unbeaten on 50 off 43 balls. The fifties by both these batters were the first and second respectively by any Omani batter in a T20 World Cup. Earlier in the day, after winning the toss, Oman invited PNG to bat first and used the opportunity to pick two quick wickets courtesy of Bilal Khan and Kaleemullah. However, instead of falling, the Barramundis skipper Assad Vala and all-rounder Charles Amini picked up the fight and had a great 81 run stand for the third wicket. But as soon as Amini was run out and Vala perished after completing his fifty, the first for a PNG batter in a World Cup, the team fell like a pack of cards. Zeeshan Maqsood, the Omani skipper was the wrecker in chief, picking three wickets in one over to destroy the lower order of the island nation’s batting lineup. Although PNG did not get bowled out and finished 129-9, Maqsood finished with figures of 4-20 in his four overs, the best ever for an Oman bowler in T20 World Cup. After this win, Oman would now face Bangladesh, who would be playing their first-ever game in the T20 World Cup 2021 later tonight. PNG, who have been thrashed in their debut World Cup game will face Scotland. Both the games will take place on October 19 at the same venue- Al Amerat at Muscat.
World T20 2021: Jatinder Singh becomes first Oman batsman to score WC fifty
Oman couldn’t have asked for a better start to the World T20 campaign after they thumped PNG by 10 wickets in the opening match in Al Amerat. Both the Oman openers, Jatinder Singh and Aquib Ilyas thoroughly dominated the PNG bowling unit with the bat and notched up individual half-centuries for the side. Jatinder though became the first Oman batter to score a fifty in the World Cup. Chasing a target of 130 runs in 20 overs, the batsmen were off to a cautious start and then began to accelerate as soon as they got into the groove to eventually wrap up the match with a maximum that came off Jatinder’s bat in the 14th over. While Singh remained unbeaten at 73, Ilyas scored 50* off 43 balls. Earlier, in the day, the hosts had a brilliant start with the ball after reducing PNG for 0/2 before Charles Amini and captain Assad Vala joined hands and steadied the ship for the side with an 81-run stand for the third wicket. Amini eventually departed for 37 off 26, courtesy a runout while Vala went on to score a half-century. But the skipper’s dismissal for 56 was followed by a middle-order collapse in the 16th over. Oman captain Zeeshan Maqsood scalped three wickets in this over and eventually returned with a four-fer. PNG were soon left tottering at 118/9 before getting restricted to 129/9 in allotted 20 overs. Maqsood later talked about how important it was to pull things back from a critical situation. “I am very happy, it was a crucial time for us, they were batting very well. We got crucial wickets and didn't allow them to put up a big total. I just try and keep it tight, don't bowl loose ones and bowl according to the field,” he said in the post-match presentation. Oman will next play Bangladesh while PNG will be up against Scotland on Tuesday at the same venue.
World T20 2021 | OMA vs PNG: Historic setting marks the beginning of World Cup journey
The ICC T20 World Cup 2021 is finally here and when Oman takes on Papua New Guinea at their home ground of Al Amerat in Muscat on October 17, a new leaf in the history of Oamni Cricket will be turned. If Oman are becoming the first Aossizte nation to host and participate in the same T20 World Cup, then the stage is not small whatsoever for Papua New Guinea, who will become only the third team after giants Australia and New Zealand from Oceania to take part in cricket World Cup of any kind. What's at stake? With such occasions awaiting, both teams have worked hard to make sure that their dream of playing the World Cup get off to a great start. While Oman would be playing their second World Cup, they would still be looking to go one better than their 2016 effort where they could not get through to the second round even after beating Ireland at the group stage. Experienced players like Jatinder Singh, Kaleemullah, Aaquib Ilyas, Khawar Ali and skipper Zeeshan Maqsood will hold the key in Oman’s attempt to hit the board running with a win against PNG. For PNG too, the key will be with the likes of skipper Assad Vala, all-rounders Charles Amini and Norman Vanua and batters Tony Ura if they want to make a mark in their first-ever World Cup. Which team will trump which? Only time will tell on October 17. Oman vs PNG: Match Details Match Number-01 Date and Time: October 17, 2021, 03:30 pm IST, 02:00 pm Local, 10:00 am GMT Venue: Oman Cricket Academy Ground, Al Amerat Broadcast and Live Stream: Disney+Hotsar Pitch Report Although the wicket at Al Amerat has been a friendly one as scores of 160 are easy to get, but it has also provided some grip to the spinners and the World Cup opener could not ask for anything more than a true wicket to begin a true contest. Weather Forecast Al Amerat, which is situated 18 Kilometers away from Oman’s capital Muscat, will have a sunny day with temperatures hovering in the lower thirties and higher 20s. Any skipper winning the toss would look to bat first as the ball might just grip a bit more in the second innings. Probable XI Oman Jatinder Singh, Khawar Ali, Zeeshan Maqsood (c), Aqib Ilyas, Mohammad Nadeem, Suraj Kumar (wk), Sandeep Goud, Kaleemullah, Bilal Khan, Sufyan Mehmood, Fayyaz Butt Papua New Guinea Assad Vala (c), Tony Ura, Sese Bau, Charles Amini, Norman Vanua, Nosaina Pokana, Kipling Doriga, Gaudi Toka, Damien Ravu, Jason Kila (wk), Chad Soper CE XI Fantasy team Wicketkeeper Suraj Kumar Batters Tony Ura, Sese Bau, Jatinder Singh All-rounders Khawar Ali, Assad Vala, Charles Amini, Zeeshan Maqsood Bowlers Nosaina Pokana, Kaleemullah, Bilal Khan Vice-Captain Assad Vala Captain Jatinder Singh
World T20 2021 | With an opportunity of one in million years, Oman are ready to rock on home soil
Even if Kanaksi Khimji, the founding father of Oman Cricket and cricket in Oman was to dream, he wouldn’t have dreamt of his tiny nation hosting the biggest spectacle of cricket as soon as 2021. Although he is not alive to see it, his son Pankaj Khimji’s hard work, good relations with BCCI and pandemic intervention meant that a team, which got the Associate status of the ICC only in 2014, is now being co-hots of a T20 World Cup. This meteoric rise of a country, where cricket was played by touring Navys and their sailors on the coasts of the Gulf, is almost second to none. Now, come October 17 and Al Amerat, only 18 KMs away from Muscat would register its name in the history books of cricket as the venue where the inaugural match of T20 World Cup 2021 was played. This is going to be the second World Cup for the Omani team which had shocked Ireland in its first-ever World Cup game in 2016. However, it was unable to qualify for the second round due to rain washouts and rain curtailed losses. But after that feat, the Oman team hasn’t looked back as it managed to qualify for this edition of the World Cup as well. But inconsistency has been the second name of this team and it haunted them in the qualifiers too. Oman's road to T20 World Cup 2021 When the ICC T20 World Cup 2020 Qualifiers were t begin in UAE in 2019, Oman was coming off a great four-match winning run against established sides like Ireland, the Netherlands, Hong Kong and Nepal. It was assumed that they would sweep through the Group stages, especially with only Ireland being a comparatively stronger team than Oman. The Omani side did do well and lost only to Ireland until the last game when they were beaten by Jersey, a team that made it to Qualifiers through European Qualifiers. This inconsistency meant that instead of directly booking a place for the T20 World Cup 2020 (now 2021) which they would have courtesy more points than that Ireland’s, they finished on equal points and because of inferior net runs rate, had to face Nambia in the semi-finals, having finished second in their group. What happened next was even more shocking as they lost to Namibia as well and were left with no other choice but to go into sudden death fellow Asian team Hong Kong fr the final T20 World Cup spot. Tanks to a gritty performance they did manage to notch up a 12 run victory defending a total as low as 134 and made it to the World Cup. Ever since the World Cup qualification, the men in red have played 15 ODIs against Associate nations and two T20Is against Sri Lanka before jumping into the warm-up games. Out of the 15 ODIs they played against Nepal, the USA, Papua New Guinea, UAE, Namibia and Scotland, the team won 10 of them. But in between those ODIs, it also lost a T20I game to Qatar, once again show its inconsistency. While it lost both its games to Sri Lanka, in practice matches against Namibia and Netherlands, it showed its strength and won against the forme, while losing by just four runs against the latter. Jatinder, Bilal and Zeeshan: Three wheels of Omani success Much like PNG, Oman is also a team that prides itself on playing with players who have grown together. These are the players which did odd jobs while playing cricket at the same time and were able to make it to the World Cup. The three players who have been like pillars for Oman Cricket and have seen the team going from playing in ICC Cricket World Cup League 5 to being given the ODI status, Jatinder Singh, Bilal Khan and Zeeshan Maqsood form a trio that will be very important for Oman’s progress in the tournament. While skipper of the side Maqsood is one of the finest all-rounders going in the Associate circuit with more than 700 runs and 49 wickets in his kitty in both ODIs and T20Is combined, Bilal and Jatinder ware responsible for giving explosive states with ball and bat respectively. Jatinder to his kitty has more than 1000 runs including an ODI century in 50 games of both formats combined while Bilal has the knock of picking a wicket in the very first over that he bowls. He is one of the few bowlers to have taken four-wicket hauls in consecutive innings in Men’s T20Is. The 33-year-old has to his name 80 international scalps in 54 games. The big ambitions "It's purely a one in a million years opportunity," Pankaj Khimji, chairman of Oman Cricket, was quoted as saying to CNN Sport early this week. But what if that chance is grabbed up and in a precariously open group, they could very well make it to the second stage of the World Cup. "Never has an associate country [on the International Cricket Council] hosted a World Cup. And not just that, has also played in one simultaneously. This is a big high for us in Oman,” Khimji added in his interview. But what could be even bigger is the fact that the team, which could beat Ireland, could also beat Bangladesh, Scotland and PNG and thereby make it to the Super 12 and that would indeed be historic. "In 10 years, they'll be telling their children stories about how their father played cricket at the World Cup,” Khimji said. While that can be a great story no doubt, but that if the fathers also tell their children that they become the first Associate host to also make it to the second stage of the T20 World Cup. All this is at stake. But the bigger question is, do they have in it them to achieve it? Can they do it? All that Oman has to do is win against Scotland and PNG even if it is unable to win against a fancied Bangladesh side. With the kind of strength they have and the amount of cricket that they have played off late at home, it shouldn’t be much difficult for Oman to make use of the home advantage and progress to round two. Oman T20 World Cup 2021 Squad Zeeshan Maqsood (c), Aqib Ilyas, Jatinder Singh, Khawar Ali, Mohammad Nadeem, Ayaan Khan, Suraj Kumar, Sandeep Goud, Nester Dhamba, Kaleemullah, Bilal Khan, Naseem Khushi, Sufyan Mehmood, Fayyaz Butt, Khurram Khan Nawaz Fixtures 17 Oct Oman v Papua New Guinea 19 Oct Oman v Bangladesh 21 Oct Oman v Scotland