Saturday 28 / September / 2024
Muscat: The cricket ‘stables’ of Chaitanya Khimji continue to dominate the domestic arena, with his teams - Royal Oman Stallions and Yalla Shabab Giants - facing off as fierce rivals in the final of the 2024 Oman D10 cricket tournament.
The fourth edition of the tournament concluded at the Oman Cricket Academy ground in Al Amerat recently, showcasing the exceptional talent fostered within Khimji’s stables.
In a first-of-its-kind summit clash of the shortest format of domestic cricket, the Royal Oman Stallions, formerly known as Amerat Royals, successfully defended their title with an impressive eight-wicket victory.
This final echoed the 2023 edition when the Amerat Royals triumphed over the Yalla Shabab Giants.
Yalla Shabab Giants, who were the 2023 champions of the D20 tournament, struggled to find their rhythm as the Stallions restricted them to a modest 102 for 4.
Zikria Islam led the charge with a brisk 36 runs off just 14 balls, supported well by Zohaib Amanat (27 off 19) and Mujibur Ali (14 off 14).
For the Stallions, Hassnain Ali emerged as the key wicket-taker, claiming 2 for 17, while Sagar Parmar and Jiten Kumar contributed with important wickets.
In response, the Stallions set off on their chase with determination. Rafi Ullah, a member of Oman’s T20 World Cup squad, top-scored with an unbeaten 36 runs off 15 deliveries, while Karan Sonavale complimented him perfectly with 27 runs off just 14 balls.
Naseem Khushi, another T20 World Cup player, provided a brisk start with a quick 18 off eight balls. Skipper Vinayak Shukla played a crucial captain’s knock, scoring 21 runs from just 11 balls, as the Stallions completed their chase in a mere eight overs, finishing at 104 for 2. Umair Shakeel and Mujibur Ali were among the wickets.
Amazing feeling: Chaitanya Khimji
A delighted Chaitanya Khimji expressed his pride and said, “It is an amazing feeling. To have both my teams feature in the title clash is a dream come true. This is a fantastic start to the domestic season for us. I hope my boys continue their excellent work in the remaining tournaments.”
He added: “The journey of my boys is filled with hard work, teamwork, and unforgettable moments. I am proud of them, and I hope my teams can raise the standard of the game by producing quality cricket throughout the 2024-25 season.”
Vinu Mathew, manager of both teams, echoed this enthusiasm.
He said: “This victory is a result of careful planning and execution by our team owner, Chaitanyabhai, the coaching staff, and the players. We have a strong mix of expatriate talent, and this winning start boosts our confidence and desire to achieve more success.
“Our goal this year is to sweep all the titles. Having won the D10 and D20 last year, we are aiming for a hat-trick of championships (D10, D20 and D50). The success so far is all credit to the guidance of our dynamic and passionate owner, Chaitanyabhai.”
During the post-match presentation ceremony, Madhu Jesrani, secretary of Oman Cricket, presented the awards. Royal Oman Stallions captain Vinayak Shukla accepted the winner’s trophy, while Yalla Shabab Giants skipper Mohit Patel received the runners-up trophy.
Stallions’ Rafi Ullah was named Player of the Match, and Giants’ Mujibur Ali earned the title of Player of the Tournament for his outstanding all-round performance, accumulating 348 runs and taking 22 wickets throughout the tournament.
