Oman Advances to Second Place in World Cup League 2 After Victory Over Namibia
Oman achieved a thrilling two-wicket victory over Namibia, climbing to second in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 standings. A stellar bowling performance led by Shakeel Ahmed restricted Namibia to just 96 runs. Despite a batting collapse, Oman successfully chased down the target and will face the USA in their next match, with the potential to top the table.
MUSCAT: Oman secured a dramatic two-wicket victory over Namibia in the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series, avenging their previous loss. The match, hosted at the Oman Cricket Academy ground in Al Amerat, showcased exceptional performances, particularly from Oman’s spinners, allowing them to climb to second place in the standings with 18 points from 15 matches. They now trail the USA, who lead with 20 points from 15 games, while Canada follows with 16 points from 12 matches.
Namibia opted to bat first but struggled significantly, finding themselves at a precarious 19/4 in the opening 10 overs. The spin-bowling prowess of Oman was remarkably evident, with Shakeel Ahmed leading the way with figures of 4/25. His stellar performance built on his earlier success against the USA, where he also took four wickets.
Early in the innings, Jay Odedra took two wickets, including trapping Zane Green lbw, while Shakeel Ahmed dismantled Namibia’s middle order, disrupting their plans. Namibia’s captain Gerhard Erasmus and Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton briefly stabilized the innings, adding a 35-run partnership, but the Omani bowlers ensured that wickets kept falling thereafter, resulting in Namibia being all out for a mere 96 runs in 33.1 overs.
In pursuit of the modest target of 97 runs, Oman commenced their innings confidently, driven by a 42-run opening partnership between skipper Jatinder Singh and Aamir Kaleem. However, the momentum shifted dramatically when Jatinder fell, which triggered a collapse that saw Oman lose seven wickets for just 45 runs.
The standout bowler, Gerhard Erasmus, claimed five wickets, severely undermining Oman’s progress. Despite the batting struggles, Vinayak Shukla contributed a vital 18 runs, but just as Oman appeared to be in trouble, Hashir Dafedar and Siddharth Bukkapatnam successfully guided their team to victory, completing the chase in 22.4 overs.
Aamir Kaleem was recognized for his all-round performance and named the player of the match. Oman now looks forward to their next challenge against the USA in the final game of the tri-series, where a victory could see them ascend to the top of the table.
Oman’s recent triumph over Namibia not only avenged their previous defeat but also positioned them favorably in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 standings. The effective use of spin bowling was pivotal in restricting Namibia, allowing Oman to chase down the modest total despite facing a middle-order collapse. With their next match against the USA on the horizon, Oman has the opportunity to contend for the top position in the series.
Original Source: timesofoman.com
