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Bridgetown, Barbados: It appeared that even the rain gods needed the Oman gamers to finish their coaching session on the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Saturday afternoon. Minutes after Duleep Mendis, Oman’s head coach, concluded the crew’s ultimate coaching session, rain poured in for an hour earlier than it halted.
Oman would hope the identical [rains stay away] on Sunday night time (Monday morning, 4.30am, Oman time) on the similar venue after they launch their marketing campaign within the 2024 ICC Males’s T20 World Cup in opposition to Namibia in a Group B match.
Oman had been the primary crew among the many collaborating nations to reach within the West Indies for the World Cup, which for the primary time will characteristic an expanded model with 20 groups.
Oman’s newly appointed skipper Aqib Ilyas exuded confidence within the crew’s preparations and stated: “We’ve got had glorious preparations, and the boys are raring to go. It’s a large stage, however we’re ready to provide our greatest.”
Ilyas, the crew’s star all-rounder, stated: “The crew benefited from the early arrival because the gamers received a good suggestion of the wicket and climate situations. What can also be in our favour in Bridgetown is that the wickets are on the slower aspect and resemble what we play in Muscat.”
“We additionally received acclimatised to the humidity degree, which is sort of excessive right here. Our crew’s composition goes properly with the way in which the wickets have been behaving in Barbados. We’ve got top-quality spinners and skillful batters. The three weeks of our preparations right here will stand in good stead for us.”
Ilyas, who took over from seasoned campaigner and long-serving captain Zeeshan Maqsood, stated: “The crew has labored laborious to succeed in this stage and we will create upsets. The time has come to showcase our potential.”
Ilyas denied that his crew is underneath any stress and stated: ‘The latest wins in opposition to Namibia through the T20I collection in Oman will solely be of statistical relevance however the gamers will take that confidence going into tomorrow’s recreation. It’s a recent recreation, however I consider we’re the favourites.”
Oman’s T20I head-to-head file in opposition to Namibia within the six video games performed is 2 wins and 4 defeats.
Requested who could be the important thing gamers within the squad, Ilyas was clear. He stated: “The success will depend upon how the entire crew performs however admitted that seniors like Bilal Khan, the tempo spearhead, and all-rounder Zeeshan Maqsood, together with himself, may have a bigger position to shoulder in West Indies.”
On extra Affiliate nations coming in to play on this version of the World Cup, Ilyas stated: “The Affiliate nations are working laborious and there could possibly be few upsets witnessed at this version. The Affiliate nations want to show a degree and let the world know what they will do. I thank the Worldwide Cricket Council for this format.”
Ilyas, who suffered a critical harm through the 2021 World Cup, which Oman co-hosted with the UAE, stated: “The harm made me realise to be all the time grateful to Almighty. I’m extra grateful now and can attempt to do my finest. With Oman Cricket entrusting me the duty of captaincy, I do know that I’m able to dealing with it.”
With Oman being the one nation from the area, there are excessive hopes that coach Mendis will script one other well-known win as he led Oman to at least one win in every of the earlier two T20 World Cups, the nation featured in 2016 and 2021.
The previous Sri Lankan captain stated: “I’m proud of the preparations of the crew. The boys are raring to go, and we hope to have a successful begin tomorrow. The plan to come back early and acclimatise in Barbados has actually been useful. The climate is sort of totally different to Oman, however the wickets are related, which will probably be to the liking of my boys.”
“The three follow video games in Barbados and two official warm-up video games in Trinidad have yielded constructive outcomes. That is the primary time that our boys are taking part in within the West Indies, so coaching in Barbados helped them quite a bit,” he added.
Namibia certified for the T20 World Cup on the again of a stellar run on the Africa Regional Qualifier stage. They had been undefeated within the match, securing wins over six groups together with co-qualifiers Uganda and Take a look at-playing Zimbabwe. Success over Take a look at nations isn’t a brand new phenomenon for the Eagles, who shocked Sri Lanka within the final version of the T20 World Cup, they usually’d wish to repeat the feat within the upcoming occasion.
Namibia are additionally the best ranked Affiliate nation (14th) on the World Cup.
Oman squad: Aqib Ilyas (c), Zeeshan Maqsood, Kashyap Prajapati, Pratik Athavale, Ayaan Khan, Shoaib Khan, Mohammad Nadeem, Naseem Khushi, Mehran Khan, Bilal Khan, Rafiullah, Kaleemullah, Fayyaz Butt, Shakeel Ahmad, Khalid Kail.
Namibia squad: Gerhard Erasmus (c), Zane Inexperienced, Michael Van Lingen, Dylan Leicher, Ruben Trumpelmann, Jack Brassell, Ben Shikongo, Tangeni Lungameni, Niko Davin, JJ Smit, Jan Frylinck, JP Kotze, David Wiese, Bernard Scholtz, Malan Kruger, PD Blignaut.
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