Muscat: The United Arab Emirates got off to a winning start in the three match ODI series after beating Oman by 4 wickets in a nail-biting encounter.
Having won the toss, the UAE decided to bowl first at the Oman Cricket Academy ground, and it was a decision that the hosts were keen to prove wrong.
Opener Jatinder Singh anchored the innings with a brilliant 106, smashing 14 boundaries and 4 sixes. Ayaan Khan provided able support from the other end, making 77 runs of his own.
It was this partnership that saw Oman reach a commanding 167/1 before the UAE were able to claw their way back into the game with some impressive bowling and tight fielding.
But just when it looked like they had done enough to keep the target below 270, Naseem Khushi stepped up to play a gem of an innings. His 42 off 21 deliveries propelled Oman to a mammoth 307 at the end of 50 overs.
The run-chase got off to the worst possible start for the UAE, as opener Muhammed Waseem, who had inflicted two crucial run-outs to keep his side in the game earlier, was dismissed for a duck in the very first over.
However, the two batsmen that took the crease subsequently stayed there until the 34th over, putting on a batting clinic that tilted the scales in the visitors’ favour.
Chirag Suri matched Jatinder’s efforts from the first innings and then raised it, making 115 off 125 balls. He picked up a leg injury in the middle of that innings too, but kept at it, in what was a show of remarkable class, maturity and resilience. Vrittya Aravind kept the other end tied down with a 93 ball 89, and this 180-run stand laid the foundation for UAE’s historic victory.
Both batsmen were dismissed trying to clear the boundary and just as the hosts started to pile on the scoreboard pressure, Basil Hameed came in and took control. His 33 ball 61, studded with 6 boundaries and 2 timely sixes powered UAE past Oman’s final bout of resistance.
This was a match of two eerily similar innings. A huge partnership in the middle overs before an innings that any pinch-hitter would be proud of. But ultimately, the 115, 89 and 61 made by Chirag, Aravind and Hameed bested the 106, 77 and 42 made by Jatinder, Ayaan and Khushi. The hosts were a scintillating watch with the bat, but their efforts on the field will no doubt give Head Coach Duleep Mendis a lot to work on before the next game.
Barring Kaleemullah who was excellent, their bowling attack lacked cutting-edge too, with a propensity to bowl full- tosses in crunch moments to alleviate any pressure built up on the batsmen proving costly.
The UAE’s bowlers leaked runs too, but the visitors will be far happier with the way the game went after that. Having put on a run chase for the ages, they will enter the game on
Sunday with a chance to put the series to bed.
BRIEF SCORES:
Oman 307/9 in 50 overs (Jatinder Singh 106(95) – 14 x 4, 4 x 6 Ayaan
Khan 77(91) – 8 x 4, 1 x 6 Zahoor Khan – 59/2) lost to UAE 308/6 in 49
overs (Chirag Suri 115(125) – 12 x 4, 5 x 6 Vriitya Aravind 89(93) – 10
x 4, 2 x 6 Basil Hameed 61(3 3) – 6 x 4, 2 x 6 Kaleemullah – 43/3) by 4 wickets
