CWC Qualifiers: Spirited Oman stun Ireland in a historic clash
Oman scripted a historic win over Ireland in their opening fixture of the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers at the Bulawayo Athletic Club ground on Monday. Their batters played with great conviction and chased down the target of 282 with 11 balls to spare. Oman won by five wickets as three of their top four batters slammed fifties. Here's more.
How did the match pan out?
Oman invited Ireland to bat first, with Andy McBrine and Paul Stirling starting well. However, they lost a few wickets to find themselves in danger. Twin fifties from Harry Tector and George Dockrell saw them post 281/7. In reply, Oman lost Jatinder Singh early, but the likes of Kashyap Prajapati, Aqib Ilyas, and Zeeshan Maqsood slammed fifties to guide them to a five-wicket win.
A fighting knock from Tector
Tector slammed his ninth ODI fifty against Oman. He showed great resilience and character to bat through a phase when wickets were tumbling down. He added 79 runs with Dockrell for the fifth wicket. Tector has raced to 1,332 runs in 33 ODIs at an astonishing average of 53.28. Besides, nine fifties, he also has smashed four ODI hundreds.
Dockrell smashes his highest ODI score
Irish all-rounder Dockrell played a stunning knock which kept them afloat. He slammed an unbeaten 91, which was also his highest ODI score. Standing in his 112th ODI, Dockrell has raced to 1,141 runs at an average of 21.94. This was his fifth ODI fifty. His 89-ball 91* is the third-highest ODI score by an Ireland batter at number six.
A calculated knock from Prajapati
Omani opener Kashyap Prajapati slammed his fifth ODI fifty and handed them a great start. His 74-ball 72 laid a platform for the middle-order batters to chase down the steep total of 282. He added a crucial 94-run stand with Ilyas to take them beyond the 100-run mark. The 27-year-old has raced past 771 runs in 25 ODIs at an average of 32.12.
A handy knock from Ilyas
Ilyas played a supporting role in his partnership with Prajapati. The duo added 94 runs and laid the proper platform for the middle-order batters to explode. This was his sixth ODI fifty as he raced to 864 runs in 19 ODIs at 57.60
A spectacular hand from Maqsood
Oman's skipper Maqsood played a beautiful knock of 59 off 67 deliveries. He did set the tone for Oman in the middle of the run chase. Maqsood added 63 runs along with Prajapati. Later, after Prajapati's departure, he stitched a 56-run partnership with Mohammad Nadeem. This was his sixth ODI fifty and has slammed 1,080 runs in 38 ODIs at an average of 32.72.
How did the bowlers perform?
Oman's Bilal Khan and Fayyaz Butt scalped two wickets each, while Maqsood, Ayan Khan and Jay Odedara picked a wicket each against Ireland. Meanwhile, Ireland's pace duo of Joshua Little and Mark Adair were the stars. They snapped two wickets each. Dockrell was the other bowler who scalped the only other wicket. Despite their best efforts, Oman won the match by five wickets.
Highest run chase for Oman in ODIs
Oman chased down the target of 282 which was set by Ireland. This was their highest-ever run chase in ODI history. Before this, their highest run chase was 276/3 against Namibia on March 2022. Overall, this was the third-highest ODI total for Oman (285/5).
