Stoinis shines as Australia beat Oman by 39 runs in T20 World Cup 2024

Marcus Stoinis excelled with both bat and ball as Australia began their pursuit of a grand slam of major cricket titles with a 39-run win over Oman at the T20 World Cup in Barbados on Wednesday.

Stoinis delivered a match-winning performance, smashing an unbeaten 67 off just 36 balls to propel Australia to 164-5. He then impressed with the ball, taking three wickets for 19 runs, limiting Oman to 125-9 at Kensington Oval.

Reflecting on the game, Stoinis, who was named player of the match, remarked, "It was a nice start. Maybe a few cobwebs for us but we're better for it, and nice that we got the win. And nice that I got to spend some time in the middle and have a bit of a bowl."

Stoinis' aggressive batting, which included six sixes and two fours, was pivotal in rescuing Australia after they had stumbled to 50-3 earlier in the innings. David Warner contributed significantly with a steady half-century, helping to stabilize the innings after captain Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell were dismissed by seamer Mehran Khan in the 11th over.

Following a few cautious overs, Stoinis launched a counterattack, forming a crucial 102-run fourth-wicket partnership that shifted momentum away from Oman. Warner, playing in his final tournament before retirement, scored 56 off 51 balls, surpassing Aaron Finch as Australia's leading run-scorer in T20 Internationals with 3,155 runs.

Four of Stoinis' six sixes came in the 15th over, bowled by Mehran, which significantly accelerated Australia's run rate, allowing them to more than double their total in the last six overs.

Despite Oman’s spirited effort, including the early dismissal of Travis Head and the double blow to Marsh and Maxwell, Australia’s experience and skill saw them through a challenging phase. This victory marks a strong start in their quest to become the first nation to simultaneously hold all three major global cricket titles – Test, One-Day, and T20.

Oman’s captain, Aqib Ilyas, found positives in his team's performance, particularly praising the bowlers. "Playing against a top side today was a great experience, especially following on from the Super Over last game," Ilyas said. "They played really well, but credit goes to our bowlers. Our bowlers can do really well on turning tracks."