(Image source from: x.com/BCCI)
After their players spent only about 20 overs at the crease in their initial matches against the UAE and Pakistan, India took to the field first for the Asia Cup and managed to score 188 runs for 8 wickets against Oman. All the Indian batsmen had an opportunity to bat except their captain Suryakumar Yadav, who did not come to the crease even though India lost eight wickets. Oman made a good effort with both their bowling and batting, but they were unable to match India's strength and depth. Abhishek Sharma showcased his skills by scoring 38 runs from just 15 balls. He was the only Indian batsman with a strike rate exceeding 200 on an Abu Dhabi pitch that provided some grip and turn. Sanju Samson, batting at number three, was not as fluent but reached a fifty off 41 balls. Contributions from Tilak Varma (29 runs off 18), Axar Patel (26 runs off 13), and Harshit Rana (13 not out off 8) helped India close in on 190 runs.
India decided to rest their key bowler Jasprit Bumrah and the newly appointed number one T20I bowler Varun Chakravarthy, but Kuldeep Yadav confused Oman's batsmen with his variety of deliveries. Oman's openers Aamir Kaleem and Jatinder Singh formed a partnership of 56 runs, but when Kuldeep dismissed them in the ninth over, the required run rate had risen to 12 runs per over. Even though Kaleem and No.3 Hammad Mirza scored solid half-centuries, they couldn't find the extra momentum needed to challenge India. In chasing 189, Oman ended with a total of 167 runs for 4 wickets. With the scoreboard pressure on Oman, India had the luxury to try out different bowlers as well. Tilak and Abhishek were part of eight bowlers that India used on that day.
Left-arm fast bowler Shah Faisal struck early for Oman by bowling out Shubman Gill for just 5 runs with a sharp inswinging delivery in the second over. Nevertheless, this didn’t deter Abhishek, who targeted Oman's bowlers during the powerplay. Abhishek scored 38 of the 60 runs India accumulated in the first six overs. Left-arm spinner Shakeel Ahmed had a tough start against Abhishek, who hit him for two fours and a six in the third over despite Shakeel's attempt to bowl away from his reach at an angle.
Oman's fast bowlers then reduced their speed, but Abhishek's strength was undeniable. When Mohammad Nadeem delivered a slower ball, Abhishek marched down the pitch and hit it over the point. Later, when Jiten Ramanandi bowled a delivery at 104kph, Abhishek blasted it straight for six. He received a lucky break at 21 when he nudged Nadeem’s ball down the leg side, but Oman’s keeper, Vinayak Shukla, missed the catch. Umpire Raveendra Wilalasiri ruled it a wide ball. Abhishek added another 17 runs before he edged a catch to the keeper, and this time Shukla made the catch without an error. After two deliveries that he didn't score on, Samson started slowly, having only 13 runs off 14 balls at one point. However, he hit a six and a four off the wrist spinner Samay Shrivatsava to get going. Later, Samson smashed Zikria Islam for a straight six in the tenth over but then slowed down again.
After reaching 42 runs from 32 balls, it took him nine more balls to reach his fifty. As he aimed to speed things up, he got caught out in deep midwicket for 56 runs off 45 balls in the 18th over. India scored 21 runs in the last three overs and only hit the boundary once in that time - it was during the final ball of the innings when Harshit blasted Faisal for a six over point. After taking down Axar Patel and Shivam Dube, Kaleem, who will be 44 in November, faced the Indian bowlers. He was careful during the powerplay, scoring only 15 runs off 13 balls, but then attacked Dube’s medium pace, scoring 18 runs off nine balls.
Kaleem's innings ended with 64 runs when Hardik made a spectacular catch at the long-leg boundary off Harshit, bringing a grin to the face of fielding coach T Dilip. Mirza also showcased his batting skills with his own half-century, giving Oman a glimmer of hope for the upcoming T20 World Cup Asia & East-Asia-Pacific Regional Qualifier that they will host next month, even though they did not win any matches in their first Asia Cup. For India, Arshdeep Singh, playing his first match of the tournament, took his 100th T20I wicket by getting Shukla caught in the final over. Arshdeep became the first Indian bowler to reach this milestone and helped secure the win, with Bumrah and Varun applauding from the sidelines.
