Friday 11 / July / 2025
Muscat: It was heartbreak for Oman as they narrowly lost to the UAE by two runs on DLS method in the rain-curtailed semi-final match of the ACC Men’s Premier Cup at Mulpani Ground in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Saturday.
In a closely fought match, where fortunes swung like a pendulum, rain stopped play with Oman needing 47 runs off 42 balls and four wickets in hand.
Oman were at 190/6 in 43 overs when downpour started, falling short of the DLS target of 193 in 43 overs.
UAE will take on hosts Nepal in the final on May 1 after the hosts semi-final match against Kuwait was abandoned. Nepal put up a total of 281/9 in 42 overs after rain forced the match to be reduced to 42-over-a-side game.
Kuwait were 37/6 in 8.3 overs when rain stopped play with Nepal pacer Karan KC picking up five wickets for just 10 runs in 4.3 overs.
Nepal booked the spot in the final as they had more points than Kuwait at the conclusion of the group stage.
On Saturday, Oman skipper Zeeshan Maqsood won the toss and put UAE to bat, a decision that was vindicated by the Oman bowlers, who came up with a disciplined performance to restrict UAE to 236 in 49.2 overs.
Spinner Maqsood was exceptional as he picked four for 32 while pacer Bilal Khan continued his fiery form to claim four for 44, including two in one over, to sent back Asif Khan and experienced Rohan Mustafa.
The Mulpani ground was assisting the slower bowlers in a big way and Oman’s off-spinner Jay Odedra kept a tight leash on the run-rate in the middle of the innings as he produced a miserly spell of 0/19 in eight overs while Ayaan Khan took two crucial wickets.
Muhammad Waseem was the top run-getter for the UAE with 48 off just 31 balls while there were notable contributions from Rameez Shahzad (46), Asif Khan (34) and Basil Hameed (34).
With cloudy and overcast conditions persisting throughout the day, prospects of rain interrupting play was high.
Chasing 237 to win, Oman openers – Jatinder Singh and Kashyap Prajapati – began on a positive note and scored briskly. Both looked in good knick and kept the scoreboard moving with boundaries at regular intervals. However, the introduction of leg-spinner Karthik Meiyappan swung the game in UAE’s favour as he sent back the top-three Oman batters.
Prajapati was Meiyappan’s first of three victims in the 16 th over, adjudged leg-before wicket for a 43-ball 49 that included nine boundaries.
Meiyappan spun a magical web that then had Jatinder stuck in it as the star Oman batter was bowled for 65-ball 42. Oman were 98/2 in the 20 th over and were soon three down in the 24 th over. Shoaib Khan became the third scalp of Meiyappan to leave Oman in a spot of bother at 119/3.
Captain Maqsood then dropped anchor and along with Mohammad Nadeem (24 not out) rebuild the chase with a 62-run partnership before Zahoor Khan got the crucial breakthrough when he castled Maqsood for a 70-ball 40 in the 42nd over.
At that stage of play, Oman were at 181/4 in 41.3 overs, slightly ahead on DLS method. With rains threatening play, a sense of panic ran down the new batters – Ayaan Khan and Sandeep Goud – who opted to go for quick runs and in the process departed in one over.
UAE spinner Basil Hameed was the tormentor as he sent back Ayaan and Goud in the 43 rd over. The two wickets in a space of three balls turned the tables on Oman in the DLS calculation with Goud caught behind by Vriitya Aravind off the last ball of the over before rain stopped play.
Hameed had earlier got Ayaan caught off the third ball and Goud’s dismissal sealed the fate of Oman.
Oman next play Kuwait in the third-place playoff on Sunday.
Brief scores: UAE 236 in 49.2 overs (Muhammad Waseem 48, Rameez Shahzad 46, Basil Hameed 34, Asif Khan 34; Zeeshan Maqsood 4/32, Bilal Khan 4/44, Ayaan Khan 2/54) beat Oman 190/6 in 43 overs (DLS target 193 in 43 overs)
(Kashyap Prajapati 49, Jatinder Singh 42, Zeeshan Maqsood 40, Mohammad Nadeem 24 n.o.; Karthik Meiyappan 3/42, Basil Hameed 2/20).
