Oman rode on to a brilliant century from Jatinder Singh to post a mammoth total of 307 runs but it wasn’t enough for them to seal a win against the UAE on Saturday at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground. Despite the loss, Oman top the points chart in ICC Cricket World Cup League Two with 29 points in 21 games.
Asked to bat first, Oman lost Khawar Ali in the 6th over to Khasif Daud. But Jatinder Singh and Kashyap Prajapati took a steady approach and revived the innings adding 38 runs for the second wicket. Just when things were looking bright for the hosts, Ahmed Raza got the better of Kashyap to reduce Oman to 58/2 in 13.2 overs.
However, Jatinder stood strong from one end and was joined by Ayaan Khan, who played a perfect fiddle to the former. They rotated the strike to perfection while the odd boundaries came their way. Jatinder Singh, in particular, was in fine touch piercing the gap.
Oman post a daunting target of 308 on the back of Jatinder Singh's magnificent century đź‘Ź
UAE have already lost Muhammad Waseem in the very first over of the chase.
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He struck 14 boundaries and four towering sixes in his 95-ball 106 runs to put Oman on the highway before Zahoor Khan got the better of Jatinder. The wicket of Jatinder Singh shifted the momentum in UAE’s favour, who chipped in with two more wickets to have Oman at 216/5.
Ayaan Khan also followed the suit soon after a patient knock of 77 runs from 95 balls, including eight boundaries and one six. UAE chipped in with a couple of more wickets before Naseem Khushi’s late blitz of 21-ball 42 propelled Oman to 307 runs in their 50 overs.
Bilal Khan gave Oman the perfect, dismissing Waseem Muhammad for a golden duck in the first over. But UAE came back in the game with a 180-run stand for the second wicket to put the visitors on track in the run chase.
Chirag Suri and Vriitya Aravind managed to keep the Oman bowlers at bay piercing the field placements to keep the scoreboard ticking. Kaleemullah finally managed to break the partnership in 33rd over when he got the better of Aravind (89 off 93).
Suri soon brought his century before Bilal Khan dismissed him after a fine knock of 115 runs from 125 balls which included 12 fours and five sixes. UAE were at 218/3 in 38.5 overs with 90 runs needed from 67 balls.
The game was set for an exciting finish when Basil Hameed took the game away with a 33-ball 61 to go past the target with one over to spare.
