Oman Archives

Shoaib Akhtar takes veiled jibe at Saim Ayub after duck against Oman

Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar appeared to take a veiled dig at young opener Saim Ayub after the left-hander fell for a golden duck in the Asia Cup 2025 clash against Oman.

Ayub’s stay lasted just one ball as he misjudged a delivery that kept low while attempting a pick-up shot.

Struck on the back leg, he opted for DRS, but ball-tracking showed the delivery crashing into middle stump. Pakistan were reduced to 4-1 inside the first over, with Ayub walking back alongside the lost review.

Speaking during a post-match discussion on a local sports platform, Shoaib Akhtar underlined the importance of reading the game and settling at the crease, rather than relying on flamboyance.

“For a batsman, it’s about feeling the ball on the bat, judging the placement, the length, the bounce, and adjusting technique accordingly,” Akhtar said.

“You don’t need too much movement. Within two to four balls, a batter gets the feel. It’s not about playing no-look shots; it’s about understanding the game.”

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While Akhtar did not mention Saim Ayub directly, his remarks seemed to point towards the youngster’s costly first-ball dismissal.

Despite the early setback, Pakistan went on to dominate the contest. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Haris played a blistering knock of 66 off 43 balls, laced with seven fours and three sixes.

Contributions from Sahibzada Farhan (29), Fakhar Zaman (23),* and Mohammad Nawaz (19) helped Pakistan post 160/7 in 20 overs.

In response, Oman collapsed under relentless pressure, folding for just 67 in 16.4 overs.

The bowling unit fired in unison as Saim Ayub, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Faheem Ashraf grabbed two wickets each, while Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, and Nawaz chipped in with one apiece.

The comprehensive 93-run victory gave Pakistan a flying start to their campaign, moving them to second in Group A with two points and a healthy net run rate of +4.650.

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Salman Ali Agha eyes clinical execution to beat any side after victory over Oman

DUBAI: Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha expressed confidence and stressed execution ahead of their much-awaited clash against India in the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 on Sunday, September 14.

Pakistan outplayed Oman by a hefty margin of 93 runs in their opening game on Friday here at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

The Green Shirts put on a 160-run total on the board in their 20 overs. Oman, however, in reply, faltered to a meagre score of 67 in 16.4 overs..

For Pakistan, it was an all-round bowling effort with each bowler chipping in as Sufiyan Muqeem, Faheem Ashraf, and Saim Ayub claimed two wickets apiece.

After the victory over Oman, Salman Ali Agha highlighted the shortcomings and praised bowlers for their efforts.

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“With the bat, we still need to work. But with the bowling, it was outstanding. The spinners bowled really well, Shaheen in his second spell, and Faheem also bowled well,” he said in the post-match presentation.

Salman emphasized spinners and their variety, alongside mentioning the conditions of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

“We have three spinners, and all are very different. We have Saim as well; he is outstanding with the new and old ball. When you come to UAE, you need to have a lot of spinners.

It is hard to say, but the way we started, we should have scored near 180. It is just a game of cricket, you never know how it goes and how many you can score,” Salman Ali Agha explained.

Regarding the match against India, he emphasized Pakistan’s previous outings and the execution of their plans.

“We have been playing really good cricket. Have been saying it again and again. We have been playing good cricket in the last 2-3 months and we just have to play good cricket. If we can execute our plans for a long enough period, we are good enough to beat any team,” he concluded.

READ: ‘I’ll do whatever the team needs’: Mohammad Haris on match-winning knock against Oman

‘I’ll do whatever the team needs’: Mohammad Haris on match-winning knock against Oman

DUBAI: Pakistan wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Haris opened up after playing an impressive knock against Oman in the fourth fixture of the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 here at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Haris anchored Pakistan with a sparkling 66 off 43 balls, which lifted them to a 160-run total in their 20 overs. His innings was laced with three maximums and seven boundaries.

After Saim Ayub’s departure in the opening over for a golden duck, Mohammad Haris paired with Sahibzada Farhan to steady Pakistan’s innings.

The duo stitched an 85-run partnership from 64 balls, which eventually lifted them out of trouble.

In reply, Oman faltered in the chase and were eventually bowled for a modest 67 runs in 16.4 overs.

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For Pakistan, Sufiyan Muqeem, Faheem Ashraf, and Saim Ayub picked up two wickets each.

Speaking in the post-match presentation, Mohammad Haris reflected on his knock and the conditions for batting.

“Feeling very good. Much-needed innings for me and my side, happy to contribute. When we came here, it was looking good and flat. But when we batted, we were struggling. Good to post that total,” he said.

Haris was promoted to the number three spot after having a lean run while playing down the order. The right-handed batter shed light on his promotion and emphasized team contribution.

“Whatever the team demands, I can accommodate. Even if they ask me to bat at 10, I will be happy to do it. That was what I was doing from last 5-6 years for Pakistan and in the PSL. That is what I like. The skipper also told us to be aggressive, ” he concluded.

Pakistan will now face arch-rivals India in the Asia Cup 2025 high-intensity clash on Sunday, September 14.

READ: Fakhar Zaman hails Saim Ayub as ‘updated version’ of Babar Azam

Asia Cup 2025: Haris, spinners star as Pakistan crush Oman for 67

DUBAI: Mohammad Haris’ sparkling half-century and an all-round bowling performance powered Pakistan to a massive win against Oman in the fourth fixture of the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 here at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Set 161-run target, Oman faltered in the chase and were eventually bowled for a modest 67 runs in 16.4 overs.

Oman had a similar start to Pakistan as they lost their opener Jatinder Singh in the second over. Saim Ayub castled Jatinder for a single run.

After an early wicket, Hammad Mirza and Aamir Kaleem tried to stabilize Oman in the chase with a brief stand of 22 off 12 balls.

However, Amir departed after making 13 from 11 balls. As a result, Oman were reduced to 24-2 in 3.1 overs. Their chase was further dented with double blows in the seventh over and eighth over.

Pakistan continued to strike at regular intervals with no significant contribution from Oman’s middle order. Eventually, the whole team was bundled out for a modest score, resulting in a massive 93-run for Pakistan.

For Pakistan, Sufiyan Muqeem, Faheem Ashraf, and Saim Ayub picked up two wickets each.

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Earlier, Mohammad Haris’ 63 off 43 balls helped Pakistan post a 160-run total.

Pakistan could not capitalize on the decision to bat first as their opener Saim Ayub fell for a golden duck in the opening over.

After an early blow, Mohammad Haris paired with Sahibzada Farhan to steady Pakistan’s innings. The duo stitched an 85-run partnership from 64 balls, which eventually lifted them out of trouble.

The stand culminated with Farhan’s wicket– 29 off 29 balls, as the scorecard read 89-2 in 10.6 overs. Meanwhile, Haris accelerated and notched his half-century on 32 balls.

However, Oman roared back with back-to-back scalps on the last two balls of the 12th over. Haris was the first to go, whereas Salman Ali Agha followed him after in a bid to dispatch a full toss, eventually getting caught at deep square leg.

Haris ‘ innings was laced with three towering sixes and seven fours.

The wicket sparked a mini collapse, which prevented Pakistan from going big in the latter half of the innings. With contributions from Mohammad Nawaz and Fakhar, Pakistan reached a decent total at the end of their allocated 20 overs.

Nawaz scored a vital cameo off 19 from 10 balls, whereas Fakhar Zaman scored 23* off 16 with the help of two fours.

For Oman, Aamir Kaleem and Shah Faisal picked up three wickets.

Playing XIs

Pakistan XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (capt), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed

Oman XI: Aamir Kaleem, Jatinder Singh (capt), Hammad Mirza, Vinayak Shukla (wk), Hassnain Shah, Shah Faisal, Mohammad Nadeem, Zikria Islam, Sufyan Mehmood, Shakeel Ahmed, Samay Shrivastava

READ: Fakhar Zaman hails Saim Ayub as ‘updated version’ of Babar Azam

Pakistan beat Oman by 93 runs in Asia Cup 2025 clash

DUBAI: Pakistan beat Oman by 93 runs in the fourth fixture of the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 here at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday.

OMA: 67 (16.4 Overs)

16.4: Abrar Ahmed gets Shakeel, and that’s all Pakistan win

Shakeel Ahmed Abrar Ahmed 10 (23b 0x4 1×6 25m) SR: 43.47

Abrar to continue

OMA: 61/9 (16 Overs)

Sufiyan back into the attack

OMA: 58/9 (15 Overs)

Abrar returns

OMA: 57/9 (14 Overs)

Shaheen to continue

OMA: 56/9 (13 Overs)

Faheem to continue

OMA: 51/8 (12 Overs)

Shaheen returns

OMA: 50/7 (11 Overs)

Faheem comes to bowl

OMA: 49/6 (10 Overs)

Abrar comes back

OMA: 49/6 (9 Overs)

Sufiyan to continue

OMA: 47/4 (8 Overs)

Nawaz to continue

OMA: 42/3 (7 Overs)

6.3: Sufiyan Muqeem gets Nadeem with a bouncer.

Mohammad Nadeem 3 (7b 0x4 0x6) SR: 42.85

OMA: 40/2 (6 Overs)

Mohammad Nawaz to bowl the final over of the powerplay

OMA: 32/2 (5 Overs)

Abrar comes to bowl

OMA: 27/2 (4 Overs)

3.1: Saim gets another one for Pakistan

Aamir Kaleem 13 (11b 1×4 1×6) SR: 118.18

OMA: 24/1 (3 Overs)

Shaheen to continue

OMA: 7/1 (2 Overs)

1.1: Saim cleans up Jatinder with a beauty

Jatinder Singh 1 (3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 33.33

Saim Ayub will share the ball from the other end

OMA: 2/0 (1 Over)

Shaheen Afridi to bowl the first over. Aamir Kaleem and Jatinder Singh

PAKISTAN vs Oman (2nd INNINGS)

DUBAI: Pakistan have set Oman a 161-run target in the fourth fixture of the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 here at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday.

PAK: 160/7 (20 overs)

Hassnain to bowl the final over of the innings.

PAK: 148/6 (19 overs)

Shah Faisal to bowl his final over

PAK: 140/5 (18 overs)

Hasnain returns

PAK: 125/5 (17 overs)

17.1: Gone. Another wicket for Oman as they are on a roll here

Hasan Nawaz 9 (15b 0x4 0x6) SR: 60

Faisal returns

PAK: 116/4 (16 overs)

Shakeel comes to bowl

PAK: 111/4 (15 overs)

Aamir Kaleem

PAK: 104/4 (14 overs)

Shakeel returns

PAK: 102/4 (13 overs)

12.6: Salman tries to hit a full toss out of the park, and it’s caught. What a blow for Pakistan

Salman Agha 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0

12.5: Another one for Oman. Set Haris departs

Mohammad Haris 66 (43b 7×4 3×6) SR: 153.48

Amir to continue

PAK: 98/2 (12 overs)

Hasnain returns

PAK: 89/2 (11 overs)

10.6: Farhan departs after a sluggish knock as Kaleem provides Oman the much-needed breakthrough

Aamir Kaleem returns

Sahibzada Farhan 29 (29b 1×4 0x6) SR: 100

PAK: 85/1 (10 overs)

Sufyan Mehmood comes to bowl

PAK: 73/1 (9 overs)

Hassnain Shah comes to bowl

PAK: 66/1 (8 overs)

Samay Shrivastava comes into the attack

PAK: 54/1 (7 overs)

Nadeem continues

PAK: 47/1 (6 overs)

Aamir Kaleem to bowl the last over of the powerplay

PAK: 31/1 (5 overs)

Change in the bowling. Mohammad Nadeem comes into attack

PAK: 27/1 (4 overs)

Shakeel continues

PAK: 19/1 (3 overs)

Faisal to continue

PAK: 12/1 (2 overs)

Left-arm spinner Shakeel Ahmed will share the new ball from the other end

PAK: 10/1 (1 over)

0.2: Saim Ayub bags a golden duck as he is trapped in front.

Saim Ayub 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0

Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub to open the batting for Pakistan. Shah Faisal to bowl the first over

PAKISTAN vs Oman (1st INNINGS)

DUBAI: Pakistan have won the toss and elected to bat first against Oman in the fourth fixture of the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 here at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Playing XIs

Pakistan XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (capt), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed

Oman XI: Aamir Kaleem, Jatinder Singh (capt), Hammad Mirza, Vinayak Shukla (wk), Hassnain Shah, Shah Faisal, Mohammad Nadeem, Zikria Islam, Sufyan Mehmood, Shakeel Ahmed, Samay Shrivastava

This will be the first clash between Oman and Pakistan as both teams have never faced each other in the T20I format.

READ: Tickets in High Demand for Pakistan-India Asia Cup Clash

Asia Cup 2025: Pakistan win toss, bat first against Oman

DUBAI: Pakistan have won the toss and elected to bat first against Oman in the fourth fixture of the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 here at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Playing XIs

Pakistan XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (capt), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed

Oman: Jatinder Singh (captain), Hammad Mirza, Vinayak Shukla, Sufyan Yousuf, Ashish Odedera, Aamir Kaleem, Mohammad Nadeem, Sufyan Mehmood, Aryan Bisht, Karan Sonavale, Zikriya Islam, Hassnain Ali Shah, Faisal Shah, Mohammad Imran, Nadeem Khan, Shakeel Ahmad, Samay Shrivastava.

This will be the first time both teams will be facing each other, as Oman and Pakistan have never faced each other in the T20I format.

READ: Tickets in High Demand for Pakistan-India Asia Cup Clash

Asia Cup 2025: Salman Ali Agha faces injury scare ahead of Oman clash

DUBAI: Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha raised slight fitness concerns on Wednesday ahead of the ACC Asia Cup 2025 clash against Oman.

Salman sat out a major portion of the team’s training session at the ICC Academy due to a neck spasm.

He was spotted with a bandage around his neck and appeared cautious with his movements.

Unlike his teammates, who went through stretching drills, warm-ups, and a light football routine, the captain avoided putting any pressure on himself.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) later confirmed through its media manager that Salman is suffering from a mild spasm, stressing that there are no serious fitness concerns.

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His absence from the session was precautionary, and he is expected to resume full training soon.

Team management remains confident that the captain will be fully fit for Pakistan’s upcoming fixtures, including the high-stakes clash against India on September 14.

The development comes just after Pakistan clinched the tri-nation T20I series in Sharjah, where they defended a modest 142-run total to bundle out Afghanistan for just 66 runs in the final.

The men in green will now begin their Asia Cup 2025 campaign against Oman at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Pakistan squad for Asia Cup 2025

Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem.

READ: ICC names all-female match officials panel for Women’s World Cup 2025

Oman announce squad for historic Asia Cup debut

MUSCAT: Oman Cricket on Tuesday unveiled their 17-member squad for the upcoming ACC Asia Cup 2025, marking the country’s maiden appearance in the continental event.

Seasoned opener Jatinder Singh will lead the side, which features a mix of experience and fresh talent, including four uncapped players, Sufyan Yousuf, Zikriya Islam, Faisal Shah, and Nadeem Khan, all eyeing their international debuts.

Head coach Duleep Mendis called Oman’s participation a “fantastic opportunity” for his players to showcase their skills on a bigger stage.

“It is real that we are participating in the Asia Cup, a major tournament and a fantastic opportunity for our players to showcase their skills on a global stage,” he said.

“Playing against teams like India and Pakistan is a moment to embrace for any cricketer. Anything can happen in a fast-paced T20 game, where one over of brilliance can change everything.”

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Mendis added that preparation has been solid, with players gaining competitive exposure in the ongoing National T20 tournament and through intense training sessions.

“It’s not just about skills in high-pressure games against elite teams; mental strength is equally crucial. We are hopeful of making an impact in this Asia Cup and showcasing Oman as a growing cricketing nation,” he said.

Oman have been drawn in Group A alongside heavyweights India and Pakistan, as well as hosts UAE.

Their campaign begins against Pakistan on September 12, followed by matches against the UAE (September 15) and India (September 19).

Oman squad for Asia Cup 2025

Jatinder Singh (captain), Hammad Mirza, Vinayak Shukla, Sufyan Yousuf, Ashish Odedera, Aamir Kaleem, Mohammad Nadeem, Sufyan Mehmood, Aryan Bisht, Karan Sonavale, Zikriya Islam, Hassnain Ali Shah, Faisal Shah, Mohammad Imran, Nadeem Khan, Shakeel Ahmad, Samay Shrivastava.

READ: New Zealand fast bowler Will O’Rourke out of action for three months

USA’s Milind Kumar rewrites ODI history with record-breaking performance

LAUDERHILL: United States of America (USA) all-rounder Milind Kumar etched his name into the record books with a stellar performance against Oman.

Set to chase a 267-run target, the USA lost the match in the super over despite Milind Kumar’s valiant knock here in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2.

Earlier, Oman’s innings folded on 266 in 49.4, thanks to a fine century from Jatinder Sindh.

Milind Kumar’s performance was the highlight of the match as he took a five-wicket haul and scored 68 in his record-breaking performance.

With this performance, he became the first player from the USA and the 25th overall to score a half-century and took five wickets in a single ODI.

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One of the standout records is his all-round performance, currently reflected in his ODI batting average of 60.36 with a minimum of 500 runs scored.

Additionally, he boasts an impressive bowling average of 16.08 along with 20 wickets taken. His average difference—a rough measure of all-round quality—stands at 44.28, which is the highest in the history of ODI cricket.

Milind Kumar has so far represented the USA in 16 ODIs, amassing 664 runs with the help of two centuries and four half-centuries. He also has 25 wickets to his name with a strike rate of 21.3

Player	Team(s)	Matches	Bat. Avg.	Bowl. Avg.	Avg. Difference
Milind Kumar	USA	16	60.36	16.08	44.28
Ryan ten Doeschate	Netherlands	33	67.00	24.12	42.87
Brandon McMullen	Scotland	31	48.73	20.82	27.91
Azmatullah Omarzai	Afghanistan	39	46.95	30.05	16.90
Gerhard Erasmus	Namibia	60	39.87	24.00	15.87
Kane Williamson	New Zealand	173	49.21	35.40	13.81
Jacques Kallis	Africa/ICC/South Africa	328	44.36	31.79	12.56
Aqib Ilyas	Oman	32	44.07	31.73	12.33
Darren Lehmann	Australia	117	38.96	27.78	11.17
Viv Richards	West Indies	187	47.00	35.83	11.16

The Delhi-born Milind Kumar has been part of the Delhi Daredevils and Royal Challengers Bengaluru squads in the Indian Premier League (IPL), however, he never featured in the playing XI.

Later on, he moved to the USA, featuring Minor League Cricket before making his international debut in April 2024.

READ: Luka Modric to leave Real Madrid after Club World Cup

Oman’s Bilal Khan breaks Shaheen Shah Afridi’s ODI record

Oman left-arm seamer Bilal Khan has surpassed Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi to become the fastest pacer to take 100 wickets in ODI cricket.

Bilal Khan claimed his 100th wicket in his 49th ODI match against Namibia in Dundee, meanwhile, Shaheen had taken 51 games to achieve the milestone.

During the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 match, Jan Frylinck became Bilal’s 100th scalp. He returned with figures of 3-50 in 10 overs, setting up Oman’s victory.

It”s worth noting that, overall Bilal is the third-fastest bowler to take 100 ODI wickets, with Nepal’s Sandeep Lamichhane topping the charts with a record 42 games.

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Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan is the second-fastest, achieving the milestone in 44 matches.

Bilal Khan has taken 101 wickets in 49 ODI matches since making his debut in 2019. He has claimed four five-wicket hauls in the format. Meanwhile, in T20I cricket, Bilal has bagged 110 wickets in 78 matches at an average of 17.44.

List of fastest pacers to take 100 ODI wickets:

Bilal Khan – 49 ODIs

Shaheen Afridi- 51 ODIs

Mitchell Starc- 52 ODIs

Shane Bond – 54 ODIs

Mustafizur Rahman – 54 ODIs

The left-arm pacer started the match against Namibia with 98 wickets, he removed captain Gerhard Erasmus (8) in the 19th over, followed by Frylinck’s wicket to achieve the milestone.

He later dismissed wicketkeeper JP Kotze (5) in the death overs to help restrict Namibia to 196-9 in 50 overs.

Oman chased down the target in the final over after losing six wickets. Captain Aqib Ilyas starred with a 68-run knock from 129 balls with five boundaries and one six.

Khalid Kail was another notable contributor with 43 runs from 55 balls, laced with four boundaries and one six.

READ: Shahnawaz Dahani ruled out of Pakistan Shaheens’ Darwin tour