Mohammad Haris batted like a man possessed and helped Pakistan by a big way. Walking out to bat at 3, Mohammad Haris batted like a man possessed and rescued Pakistan from a precarious start to get them to a competitive score. His 66 off 43 balls was the highlight of propelling the score to 160/7. The others around him struggled as Pakistan could have gotten more on that surface, but it’s still a good score on the board.
Oman refused to budge away through as they picked wickets at regular intervals after the first 10 overs. Aamir Kaleem picked up 3/31 in 4 overs while debutant Faisal Shah picked up 3/34 in 4 overs to keep Pakistan down to 160/7 as at one stage, Pakistan looked like getting to 180+. This is still a good score and Oman has to bat well to chase 161 from here.
Pakistan get off to a steady start despite losing Saim Ayub early in the powerplay
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub came out for Pakistan while Faisal Shah had ball in hand for Oman. Farhan got off the mark straightaway but Shah removed Ayub for a golden duck, He bowled a fuller length ball on the middle stump, Ayub went for an ambitious stroke bending his back knee for a pick-up shot on the leg side. He missed it on the inside edge and got hit on the back knee roll. The appeal was given OUT. Ayub reviewed in hope and saw three reds to lose the review as well. Keeper batter Mohammad Haris came out to bat at 3.
Haris got off the mark with a boundary through forward square leg region. Shakeel Ahmed had ball in hand from the other end. He bowled a good over but should have had Farhan for 2 but Aamir Kaleem put him down at cover point region off the bowling of Ahmed. Haris then hit Shah over extra cover for a boundary. Ahmed bowled a tight over once again as boundaries had dried up.
Mohammad Nadeem came into the attack next. He started well and appealed for LBW against Haris but the umpire said no and Oman burnt a DRS as well. Nadeem though kept things really tight out there. Aamir Kaleem came to bowl the final over of powerplay. Farhan broke the shackles by hitting him over the bowler’s head for a boundary as Pakistan got a welcome boundary after 15 balls.
Haris got into the act as he hit the first maximum of the evening by smashing him over midwicket, a slog sweep for the maximum and then hit a boundary off the very next ball by playing a lofted drive over extra covers. Haris took a single off the final ball of the powerplay. At the end of the powerplay, Pakistan were off to a steady start at 47/1 in 6 overs with Farhan and Haris at the crease as we entered the middle phase of the game.
Mohammad Haris’ 66 powers Pakistan forward before quick wickets from Oman pegs the score back to 111/4 in 15 overs
Nadeem continued after the powerplay and Haris continued his merry ways by hitting him over midwicket for a boundary as the 50 came up for Pakistan in 6.2 overs. Samay Shrivastava came into the attack next and Haris got down on one knee and nailed the slog sweep over midwicket for the maximum. Haris was on a roll as he his Samay for another boundary by sweeping over short fine leg fielder for a boundary.
Hassnain Ali Shah came into the attack next and bowled a decent over. Sufyan Mehmood came into the attack next as Farhan greeted him with the maximum by clobbering over midwicket for the maximum as Haris reached his maiden fifty in 32 balls and was a great innings under pressure. Haris then hoicked the same bowler over the left of deep midwicket for another boundary. After 10 overs at the halfway stage of the innings, Pakistan were 85/1 when players took the Drinks Break.
Kaleem returned to the attack and got rid of Farhan for 28 off 28 balls with a boundary to his name. The bowler tossed it up too full at middle and off-stump. Farhan tried to heave it away over the bowler’s head but doesn’t get anywhere under the ball as he miscued it back to the bowler who took a brilliant low catch. Fakhar Zaman came out to bat at 4.
Hassnain Ali Shah came back into the attack as Haris was on a roll as he heaved away by moving across over fine leg region for a boundary. Soon, the 100 came up for Pakistan in 12.2 overs. Kaleem then got the prized scalp of the form batter Mohammad Haris for 66 off 44 balls with 7 fours and 3 sixes to his name. Haris tried to be creative and paid the price. The ball from the bowler was a slower ball in the air fuller in length at the middle and leg stump, Haris changed his grip and tried to play the switch hit and the ball dipped at the last second. The batter got a bottom edge as the ball hit the stumps.
Captain Salman Ali Agha came out to bat next and got out first ball for a golden duck as Kaleem had two in two balls. It was a high full toss outside off-stump, Salman could have hit it anywhere but he picked out the fielder in the deep. The batter Agha tried to stamp his class, he backed away and then slogged the ball in the leg side. However, he miscued it and the deep midwicket came under the ball and took the catch. Hasan Nawaz came out to bat next.
Shakeel Ahmed returned to the attack and bowled a miserly over. Aamir Kaleem continued and Zaman stepped down the track and hit him over the bowler’s head for a boundary. The runs came in singles after that and at the end of 15 overs, Pakistan were pegged back to 111/4 in 15 overs with Fakhar Zaman and Hasan Nawaz at the crease. A crucial last 5 overs awaited both sides from this position.
Late Flourish amidst losing wickets takes Pakistan to 160/7 in 20 overs
Ahmed continued and bowled a tight over to complete his miserly spell. Shah then got rid of Hasan Nawaz for 9 off 15 balls. He bowled a slower ball and tried to nail a wide yorker but missed it by an inch. The full ball well outside the off-stump and dipping into Hasan Nawaz. The batter waited for the ball and then heaved into the off-side and got caught at deep point. Faisal Shah got an important wicket as Mohammad Nawaz came in next and got off the mark with a boundary past backward point.
Nawaz then took the attack to Hassnain Shah and hit him for back-to-back boundaries through extra covers and a scoop over the keeper’s head. Fakhar got into the act as well as he hit an upper cut over third man for a boundary. Nawaz hit Faisal Shah for another boundary past the fine leg region. Oman burnt a review against Nawaz for caught behind as no bat was involved. But he got rid of Nawaz for 19 off 10 balls with 4 fours to his name.
He bowled a fuller delivery did Faisal outside off-stump, Nawaz prod low and waited for the ball and slammed it away. He went over mid-off but mistimed it. The ball goes to wide long-off where the fielder took an easy catch. Faheem Ashraf came to the crease next. Nadeem was tasked to bowl the final over as Faheem hit him for a boundary over backward point region for a boundary. Faheem too fell for 8 off 4 balls with a boundary to his name to Nadeem.
It was a full toss ball from Nadeem around off-stump, Ashraf went deep in his crease and swung his arms and he miscued it as the deep square leg fielder settled underneath it to take a good catch at deep backward square leg. The TV umpire checked the height of the ball and was fine with it. Shaheen Afridi came out to bat and got off the mark with a brace as Pakistan ended with a competitive 160/7 in 20 overs. Fakhar Zaman’s 23* off 16 balls was laced with 2 fours to his name.
The Oman bowlers bowled really well under pressure. Faisal Shah finished with 3/34 in 4 overs. Aamir Kaleem bowled really well with his 3/31 in 4 overs. Mohammad Nadeem finished with 1/23 in 3 overs. Shakeel Ahmed bowled a miserly spell of 0/17 in 4 overs. The other bowlers went for a bit in the end and were wicketless. This meant Oman needs 161 to win the contest and upset Pakistan.
What Lies Ahead
So, Pakistan would have liked to have gotten more runs on the board but have to satisfy themselves with 160 on the board which is still a good score. Oman have fought well, but now they have to bat well to win and cause an upset. Pakistan bowling is strong on paper and anything can happen. They will fancy defending this with 3 proper spinners and spin aiding the bowlers here. Which way this is going to go? Pakistan still ahead, but Oman not out of it.
Let’s see how the second innings pans out and if Oman stands up for it, then we might be in for a thriller, the first of this competition. Otherwise, it may be another one-sided game in favour of Pakistan. Let’s see how things pan out in the chase.
Also Read: Asia Cup 2025: 3 Reasons For Hong Kong’s Comprehensive Loss To Bangladesh.