Wednesday 13 / November / 2024
MUSCAT: Oman’s spinners dazzled once again, leading the hosts to a thrilling one-run victory over the Netherlands in a low-scoring battle at the Oman Cricket Academy ground on Monday.
The win marked Oman’s fourth consecutive triumph in the Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series, ending their campaign on a high note.
Defending a modest total of 155, Oman’s bowlers, particularly the spinners, were relentless. Shakeel Ahmed, Aamir Kaleem, Samay Shrivastav, and Siddharth Bukkapatnam combined efforts to trap the Dutch batters, making it incredibly challenging to chase down the target.
The moment of the match, however, came from captain Jatinder Singh’s bold decision to introduce off-spinner Karan Sonavale in the 46th over.
With the Netherlands needing just three runs from 30 balls and Oman desperately needing a wicket, Sonavale’s first over of the game saw him dismiss Aryan Dutt, who skied a catch to Muzahir Raza, igniting jubilation in the Oman camp.
The Dutch side’s chase began with setbacks as Ahmed, Oman’s prolific wicket-taker throughout the series with 13 dismissals in four matches, removed both openers to leave the Netherlands at 33/2 after 12 overs.
Kaleem, Oman’s wily spinner, then tore through the middle order, and Shrivastav’s economical bowling kept the pressure on, leaving the Netherlands floundering at 70/6 in 24 overs.
Dutch hopes were revived briefly by a resilient 52-run stand between Teja Nidamanuru (34) and Timm van der Gugten (17) for the seventh wicket. However, Kaleem once again swung the game in Oman’s favour by breaking the partnership in a match where momentum see-sawed dramatically. Bukkapatnam, making his debut, delivered a crucial over, removing Roelof van der Merwe and Nidamanuru in the span of five balls to bring the hosts within touching distance of victory.
The last-wicket pair of Kyle Klein and Aryan Dutt pushed Oman’s nerves to the edge, forging a gritty 24-run stand that almost clinched the match for the Netherlands. But it was Sonavale’s surprise entry into the bowling attack that turned the tide, sealing a dramatic one-run victory for Oman.
The spin quartet shone brightly, with Kaleem finishing with impressive figures of 4/24, Ahmed taking 2/15, Bukkapatnam chipping in with 2/23, and Shrivastav and Sonavale contributing one wicket each. This consistent spin assault left the Dutch batters struggling throughout their innings.
Earlier, Oman’s innings was built on a solid foundation laid by openers Ashish Odedara and Jatinder Singh, who shared a 94-run stand in 24 overs. Odedara scored 41 off 70 balls, including five boundaries, while Jatinder completed a measured half-century, scoring 59 off 89 balls with six boundaries.
However, Odedara’s dismissal triggered a collapse as Oman fell from 94/1 to 113/7 within ten overs. The Dutch spinners, led by Colin Ackermann (4/22) and Roelof van der Merwe (3/30), exploited the conditions skillfully, reducing Oman to 125/8.
A late surge from Jay Odedra, who struck a quick 22 off 22 balls with three sixes, and a record 30-run last-wicket stand with Raza, who scored 10, helped Oman reach 155 in 44.2 overs. This resilience at the end proved crucial in what turned out to be a nail-biting contest.
With Monday’s win, Oman, coached by Duleep Mendis, improved their points tally to 14 from 12 games, to stay at fifth place in the eight-nation League 2 standings.
The Netherlands and Scotland have also accrued 14 points but maintain a superior net run rate (NRR), with Scotland having played one less game. The United States top the table with 16 points, followed by Canada. Namibia (10 points), Nepal (6), and the UAE (4) complete the standings.
Brief scores: Oman: 155 all out in 44.2 overs (Ashish Odedara 41, Jatinder Singh 59, Jay Odedra 20; Colin Ackermann 4/22, Roelof van der Merwe 3/30) beat Netherlands: 154 all out in 45.3 overs (Teja Nidamanuru 34, Kyle Klein 18*; Aamir Kaleem 4/24, Shakeel Ahmed 2/15, Siddharth Bukkapatnam 2/23).
