Bulawayo [Zimbabwe], June 21 (ANI): Three half-centuries from Aqib Ilyas, Shoaib Khan and Mohammad Nadeem helped Oman clinch their second successive victory in their ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 qualifier match against UAE by five wickets in Bulawayo on Wednesday.

Junaid Siddique’s twin strikes in the fifth over provided the perfect start to UAE. The dangerous duo of Kashyap Prajapati (6) and Jatinder Singh (2) was sent back into the hut. Chasing a modest target of 228, Oman needed batters who could hold the innings while seeing off the new ball.

Aqib Ilyas and Shoaib Khan came together to deliver for the Gulf side. They batted carefully over the next 10 overs, getting Oman to 42/2 in the first 15 overs before going for their shots. They went about six an over between overs 16-25 and got Oman to 101.

However, Oman lost the duo as soon as they had added 100 runs for the third wicket. Aqib (53) was bowled by Rohan Mustafa in the 27th over, and Shoaib Khan retired hurt at the end of that very over.

The arrival of two new batters was UAE’s ticket into the contest. The Emirati side was further buoyed by the dismissal of skipper Zeeshan Maqsood (1) in the 30th over. The Oman skipper fell leg before to Mustafa’s off-spin.

Effectively five down, Oman chose the attacking route. Mohammad Nadeem and Ayaan Khan brought up their fifty-run stand off merely 47 balls. As the required rate came closer to four, the UAE side began to lose their spirit in the field.

UAE got a breakthrough in the 43rd over when Aayan Khan dismissed Ayaan for 41. But this brought Shoaib Khan, who had recovered from his injury, back to the crease. He helped Oman get over the line with Nadeem’s (50) help, while also getting to his half-century.

Oman ended at 228/5 in 46 overs. Junaid Siddique, Rohan Mustafa (2/31) each were the pick of the bowlers for UAE.

During the UAE innings, an 87-run stand for the third wicket between Vriitya Aravind (49) and Rameez Shahzad (38) and an aggressive fifty by teenager Aayan Afzal Khan (58), helped UAE to 227/8 in their 50 overs.

Probing new-ball spells from Bilal Khan and Fayyaz Butt, gave Oman early advantage against their Gulf rivals. Bilal drew first blood when he got the UAE skipper Muhammad Waseem lbw for 8 in the third over of the morning. The very next over, Fayyaz had Rohan Mustafa caught behind for the same score. The duo bowled tight lines to keep UAE at 36/2 at the 10-over mark.

Vriitya Aravind and Rameez Shahzad brought order after chaos and ensured that the Emiratis moved ahead at a steady rate. However, Rameez’s (38) loss to Jay Odedra’s off-spin in the 25th over gave Oman a crucial breakthrough at the right time.

This wicket turned to be a turning point, as Oman impressed with the ball in the middle overs. They picked three wickets between overs 26-35 besides stifling the scoring rate. Aravind and Ali Naseer (5) were cleaned up by Odedra’s brilliant off-spin, while Basil Hameed fell to Ayaan Khan’s left-arm spin.

When Fayyaz returned to account for Asif Khan in the 40th over, UAE were 154/7 and Oman were right on top of the game. But for Aayan Afzal Khan’s aggressive 58, UAE might have struggled to cross even 200 in the game. The youngster hit 10 fours during his enterprising knock.

In the morning, Oman won the toss and elected to bowl at the Athletic Club.

Jay Odedra (3/31) was the pick of the bowlers for Oman. Bilal Khan (2/46), Fayyaz Butt (2/49) also impressed with the ball.

Oman is at the top of Group B point table with two wins in two matches and a total of four points. On the other hand, UAE is at the bottom with two losses in two games, with zero points. (ANI)