Oman Suffer 42-Run Defeat to UAE in Asia Cup Clash
Oman’s search for their first-ever Asia Cup victory remained unfulfilled on Monday, as they slumped to a 42-run defeat at the hands of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in their Group A fixture at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi.
Chasing a competitive total of 173, the Oman batting line-up was dismissed for 130 in 18.4 overs, crumbling under pressure from a clinical UAE bowling attack. The chase got off to a poor start as openers Aamir Kaleem and Jatinder Singh (20) failed to provide a solid platform. The early blows left Oman at a precarious 41 for 4 inside the powerplay, giving UAE early control.
Oman’s hopes briefly flickered thanks to a gritty 24-run knock by debutant Aryan Bisht, who showed flashes of promise, and Vinayak Shukla, who added a quick 20. However, both failed to hold the innings together, and once Bisht perished in the 13th over, the remaining batters folded quickly.
UAE’s bowling was spearheaded brilliantly by Junaid Siddique, whose devastating spell of 4 for 23 dismantled Oman’s top and middle order. He received strong support from Haider Ali (2/22) and Muhammad Jawadullah (2/18), both of whom maintained relentless discipline. Only tail-ender Shakeel Ahmed (14 not out) showed some resistance, but it was too little, too late for Oman.
Earlier in the match, UAE had posted an impressive 172 for 5 in 20 overs, powered by half-centuries from Alishan Sharafu (51 off 38) and captain Muhammad Waseem (69 off 54). Sharafu’s aggressive stroke-play provided early momentum, while Waseem anchored the innings with a composed knock.
Fielding errors further dented Oman’s chances, as two costly dropped catches allowed Waseem to press on and make a significant contribution. Muhammad Zohaib (21) and Harit Kaushik (19 not out) played important cameos to push the total beyond the 170-mark.
With the ball, Jiten Ramanandi was Oman’s standout performer, returning respectable figures of 2 for 24, though the rest of the attack failed to consistently challenge the batters. Alongside lapses in the field, Oman’s inexperience at this level was telling, with several missed opportunities swinging the momentum in UAE’s favour.
Oman will now aim to regroup and deliver a stronger performance in their final group stage encounter against tournament favorites India on September 19.
Brief Scores:
UAE 172 for 5 (Waseem 69, Sharafu 51; Ramanandi 2-24)
beat
Oman 130 in 18.4 overs (Bisht 24, Jatinder 20, Shukla 20; Siddique 4/23)
Team V.DIR-EM-UAE
