Oman’s title defense in the T20 Gulf Cup ended with a three-wicket defeat to Kuwait in Dubai. Kuwait advanced to the final against UAE based on superior Net Run Rate after both teams finished with six points. Oman fought hard but ultimately faced consistent issues with continuity in their performance, resulting in their exit from the championship.
MUSCAT: The T20 Gulf Cup Cricket Championship concluded for the defending champions, Oman, following a disappointing three-wicket defeat against Kuwait in their final league encounter at the ICC Academy in Dubai, UAE. Consequently, Kuwait now progressed to the final against the hosts, UAE, who secured the top position in the standings with four victories and a total of eight points. Kuwait’s entry into the final was also aided by a superior Net Run Rate (NRR), edging out Saudi Arabia after both teams finished with six points.
Oman, under the guidance of Coach Duleep Mendis, fielded a newly assembled team for the tournament. Despite showcasing moments of brilliance, they encountered difficulties maintaining consistent performance levels, leading to narrow losses against Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Kuwait, ultimately ending their title defense. In their last match, Oman batted first, achieving a respectable total of 143 runs for the loss of eight wickets in 20 overs. Vinayak Shukla was the standout performer, remaining not out at 52 runs off just 29 balls and hitting three boundaries along with three sixes.
Despite a promising start, Oman faced a mid-innings collapse that limited their potential score due to disciplined bowling from Kuwait. After reaching 50/1 in the ninth over, Oman fell to 88/6 by the 15th over. In the chase, Kuwait overcame an initial setback of 11/2 early on, primarily thanks to Meet Bhavsar’s impressive innings of 63 runs off 46 balls, which featured eight fours and a six. Kuwait successfully navigated their chase with critical contributions from Adnan Idrees and Muhammad Umar, who each provided essential support to lead Kuwait to victory.
The Omani bowlers Jay Odedra and Shakeel Ahmed each took two wickets, demonstrating effective bowling with figures of 15 and 28 runs, respectively. However, their efforts were insufficient to halt Kuwait, who clinched the win with three balls to spare, finishing at 144 runs for the loss of seven wickets.
Brief scores: Oman 143/8 in 20 overs (Vinayak Shukla 52*, Jatinder Singh 27; Meet Bhavsar 2/22, Adnan Idrees 2/13) lost to Kuwait 144/7 in 19.3 overs (Meet Bhavsar 63, Muhammad Umar 36; Jay Odedra 2/15, Shakeel Ahmed 2/28).
The T20 Gulf Cup Cricket Championship is a significant cricketing event in which teams from the Gulf region compete. This tournament saw defending champions Oman striving to retain their title amid strong competition. The league matches determined which teams advanced to the final, with standings influenced not only by match victories but also by Net Run Rate, a crucial factor in tie-breaker scenarios, underscoring the importance of performance consistency in every match.
This match marked a disappointing end for Oman as defending champions, unable to translate potential into performance amid heightened competition. Kuwait’s victory secured their place in the final, demonstrating resilience and effective teamwork during crucial phases of the match. As the tournament progresses, focus now shifts towards the upcoming final matchup between Kuwait and hosts UAE, as each team aims for championship glory.
Original Source: timesofoman.com
