In their opening match of the 2024 T20 World Cup at Kensington Oval, Barbados, on June 2, the Oman national cricket team, led by Aqib Ilyas, delivered a valiant performance against Namibia. Despite setting a modest target of 109 runs, Oman managed to push the game into a super over before ultimately conceding defeat.
Despite their defeat, Oman earned praise for their tenacity, pushing Namibia to the limit. Fans and critics commended their bowling effort, particularly that of Mehran Khan. Head coach Duleep Mendis, a former Sri Lanka cricketer, also played a crucial role.
Mendis, who had a distinguished career with 24 Tests and 79 ODIs, captained Sri Lanka to several notable victories and served as team manager when they won the 1996 ODI World Cup. He has previously held positions as a team advisor and selector for Sri Lanka.
During a 1975 World Cup match at the Oval, Mendis was famously hit on the forehead by a bouncer from Jeff Thomson, resulting in him being carried off on a stretcher. As a captain, his most notable achievement was leading Sri Lanka to their first-ever Test series victory in 1985 against India. Before that, Sri Lanka had been winless in their first 15 Test matches, a streak starting in 1982.
Mendis was highly animated during the thrilling match and even came onto the field to speak with the players and officials before the super-over began. However, he faced criticism on social media for not choosing Mehran Khan, who successfully defended five runs in the final over, to bowl in the super over.
The chosen bowler, Bilal Khan, conceded 21 runs, setting a new T20 World Cup record, which ultimately made the target too challenging for Oman to overcome.
Duleep Mendis has been associated with Oman cricket for more than ten years
Duleep Mendis has significantly contributed to Oman’s ascent in international cricket. Under his guidance, the Middle Eastern nation made its debut in the T20 World Cup in 2016. Additionally, Mendis led the team to qualify for the 2021 edition, where they had the opportunity to play the group stage matches on their home turf.
“When I came to Oman they did not have any cricket grounds, the first green ground came after my arrival and then the second one. We started building one by one, now we have two grounds in the same place,” Mendis had said in an interview with Island Cricket back in 2021.
Oman’s upcoming match is set against Australia in Barbados on Wednesday, June 5th.
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