Pakistan hammer Oman to seal commanding Asia Cup win

Pakistan crushed Oman by 93 runs in the Asia Cup after a dominant all-round display at the Dubai Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Chasing a target of 161, Oman folded for just 67 runs in 16.4 overs. At 41 for 2, they appeared steady, but a dramatic collapse saw them lose seven wickets for only 10 runs. Hammad Mirza top-scored with 27, while the rest of the batting lineup offered little resistance. Saim Ayub, Sufiyan Muqeem and Faheem Ashraf led the bowling charge, picking up two wickets each.

Earlier, Pakistan opted to bat first after winning the toss and posted 160 for 7. Mohammad Haris, promoted up the order, rediscovered his form with a fluent 66 off 43 balls, featuring seven fours and three sixes. Sahibzada Farhan supported him with 29, while Fakhar Zaman remained unbeaten on 23. Shah Faisal and Aamir Kaleem claimed three wickets apiece for Oman.

Oman’s chase unraveled quickly. Captain Jatinder Singh (1) was bowled by Saim Ayub in the second over, and Aamir Kaleem (13) followed soon after. From 41 for 2, wickets tumbled in quick succession. Mohammad Nadeem (3) fell to Sufiyan, Vinayak Shukla (2) was run out by Shaheen Afridi, and Hammad Mirza’s resistance ended when he was caught off Sufiyan for 27. Faheem Ashraf struck twice, while Shaheen and Abrar Ahmed chipped in to ensure there was no recovery.

Pakistan’s innings also had its hiccups. Saim Ayub was dismissed first ball, and Haris’s dismissal after his half-century halted momentum. Salman Ali Agha (0), Hasan Nawaz (9) and Faheem Ashraf (8) departed cheaply. Still, Haris’s return to form and useful cameos from Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Nawaz lifted Pakistan to a competitive total that proved more than enough.

The emphatic victory handed Pakistan an ideal start to their Asia Cup campaign, while Oman were left to reflect on a batting collapse that exposed their inexperience against quality bowling.