Pakistan Starts Asia Cup with Big Win Over Oman in Thrilling Clash
Pakistan kicked off their Asia Cup journey on a strong note, smashing Oman by a massive 93 runs in their Group A match at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Mohammad Haris smashed a brilliant half-century to help Pakistan post 160/7, and then their bowlers took charge to bundle out Oman for just 67.
Chasing a tricky 161, Oman struggled right from the start. Only Aamir Kaleem (13) and Hammad Mirza (27) showed some fight, but Pakistan’s attack was ruthless. Saim Ayub struck early, dismissing Oman captain Jatinder Singh for 3 and then Kaleem in the fourth over. By the end of the powerplay, Oman were reeling at 40/2.
The collapse continued as Sufiyan Muqeem removed Mohammad Nadeem for 3 in the seventh over. Mohammad Nawaz followed up by getting Sufyan Mehmood out for 1. Shaheen Shah Afridi added to the chaos with a sharp direct hit to run out Vinayak Shukla for 2, and Muqeem quickly sent Mirza packing in the same over. Oman slipped to 49/6, and the Pakistani bowlers mopped up the rest, wrapping up the innings in 16.4 overs.
Faheem Ashraf, Muqeem, and Ayub each grabbed two wickets, while Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, and Nawaz picked up one each. It was a dominant bowling display that sealed a comfortable victory for Pakistan in the Asia Cup opener.
Earlier, Pakistan chose to bat first but faced early trouble. Opener Saim Ayub fell for a golden duck to Shah Faisal. But Mohammad Haris and Sahibzada Farhan steadied the ship with an 84-run stand for the second wicket. Haris played aggressively, hitting three sixes and seven fours in his maiden T20I fifty off 32 balls.
Pakistan raced to 85/1 after 10 overs, adding 38 runs post-powerplay. Things looked promising, but Aamir Kaleem struck back, removing Farhan for 29 in the 11th over and then Haris for 66. Kaleem cleverly trapped captain Salman Agha with a full toss, leading to an easy catch. Hasan Nawaz (9) and Mohammad Nawaz also fell cheaply, restricting Pakistan to 160/7.
Oman’s bowlers fought hard, with Kaleem and Shah Faisal taking three wickets apiece. Shakeel Ahmed shone with economical figures of 0-17 in four overs, keeping things tight despite the pressure.
Brief Scores: Pakistan 160/7 in 20 overs (Mohammad Haris 66, Sahibzada Farhan 29; Aamir Kaleem 3-31, Shah Faisal 3-34) beat Oman 67 all out in 16.4 overs (Hammad Mirza 27; Saim Ayub 2-8, Faheem Ashraf 2-6, Sufiyan Muqeem 2-7) by 93 runs.
This win gives Pakistan a huge boost as they eye more success in the Asia Cup. Stay tuned for updates on the tournament!
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