Thursday 09 / May / 2024
Muscat: Oman Cricket officials have finalised the plans to send the Sultanate’s national team, who are currently preparing for the twin challenges of Asia Cup Qualifier and the ICC World T20 Championship, for a training camp in India in the second week of February.
The governing body of Oman cricket took the decision during a board meeting organised on Monday.
Confirming the news to Times Sport, Oman Cricket General Secretary Madhu Jesrani said: “We have discussed a number of topics during our boarding meeting and one of them is the national team’s preparations for the Asia Cup Qualifier and World T20."
“The team will be travelling to India in February and training in Dharamsala ahead of the Asia Cup,” Madhu Jesrani added.
Oman team’s head coach Duleep Mendis, who is also the Chief Development Officer of Oman Cricket, has been stressing the need to provide the team the opportunity to train in high altitude conditions as World T20 preliminary round matches, involving Oman, will be played in Dharamasala, a hill station in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.
“We wanted an ideal preparation for the team ahead of World T20. Since we will be playing our World T20 matches in Dharamsala, the training camp will help the team to acclimatise to the conditions,” said Madhu Jesrani.
Giving further details, he said: “The team will leave for Dharamsala on February 10 and train there till February 17 before heading to Bangladesh to take part in the Asia Cup.”
The 2016 Asia Cup, to be played in T20 format for the first time, will take place in Bangladesh from February 26 to March 6.
Oman, however, will be competing in the Asia Cup Qualifier, to be organised from February 19 to 22, with Afghanistan, Hong Kong and United Arab Emirates for the lone berth in the main championship.
Another camp in Mohali
Madhu Jesrani also revealed Oman Cricket’s plans to send the team back to India for another training camp after their participation in the Asia Cup in Bangladesh.
“After Asia Cup, the team will go back to India and train in Mohali ahead of their participation in the World T20,” he said.
Duleep Mendis, meanwhile, informed that the schedule of camp in Mohali will be decided after Oman’s Asia Cup qualifying campaign.
“Of course we will stay in Dhaka if we qualify for the Asia Cup. If we don’t qualify we will go straight to Mohali, that’s where our official tour of India ahead of World T20 starts,” the Sri Lankan great said.
Oman team will also be playing a couple of practice matches during their stay in Dharamsala as well as Mohali.
“In Dharamsala, we are hoping to arrange two or three matches. It is very important for the boys to get the match experience ahead of the Asia Cup,” Duleep Mendis said.
“As per for ICC arrangements and schedule, we will be playing two practice matches in Mohali,” he added.
Oman booked their berth in the ICC World T20 Championship after an excellent showing in World T20 Qualifier jointly hosted by Ireland and Scotland last year.
The World T20 takes place in India from March 8 to April 3. To make it to the Super 10 stage of the world event, Oman have to get past their first round Group A opponents Bangladesh, Ireland and the Netherlands.
Group B comprises Zimbabwe, Scotland, Hong Kong and Afghanistan and only toppers from each group qualify for the Super 10 stage of the championship. Oman are scheduled to start their campaign against Ireland on March 9. Then they take on the Netherlands on March 11 before completing their group engagements against Bangladesh on March 13.
MCC team to tour Oman
Meanwhile, speaking about the other points discussed during Monday’s board meeting, Madhu Jesrani said: “We have reviewed the recent developments in Oman cricket, most importantly the grounds and the infrastructure. We have also talked about our immediate goals and future plans.”
“We also touched upon the MCC team’s visit to Oman,” he said referring to Marylebone Cricket Club team’s tour which is scheduled for February.
