Oman continue perfect start to T20I series
Oman kept up their 100 per cent record with a 43-run win over Ireland. Batting first, they racked up 173/9, Aamir Kaleem playing the starring role with a 27-ball 46. He cracked two fours and three sixes before being run out, finding an excellent foil in Jatinder Singh, with whom he added 77 for the third wicket. For Ireland, Mark Adair and Stuart Thompson were the picks of the bowlers, each claiming two wickets.
🇴🇲 v ☘️ v 🇭🇰 v 🇳🇵 v 🇳🇱: Day 1️⃣ wrap
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) October 5, 2019
See how the teams got on in their #T20WorldCup preparations 👇https://t.co/rhfhTDUEB9
Ireland made a good start to their reply, driving to 86/3 after eight overs. Kevin O’Brien’s six-laden 16-ball 39 got his team off to a flyer, but they fell away thereafter. Mohammad Nadeem and Khawar Ali claimed three wickets apiece, while Bilal Khan and Aamir Kaleem, who enjoyed an excellent all-round day, picked up two wickets each. While Ireland had six players make it into double figures, only O’Brien could make it past 20.
Binod Bhandari rescued Nepal with the bat after a top-order collapse to ensure the chased down Hong Kong’s 125/6 with four wickets and an over to spare. Batting first, Hong Kong’s batting effort was a laboured one, with Waqas Barkat’s 47-ball 37 in the death overs symptomatic of their lethargy.
Nepal deserved credit for giving their opponents nothing to hit, particularly Lalit Rajbanshi, who conceded just 17 runs off his quota, and captain Paras Khadka, whose pair of overs went for two runs. Karan KC profited from his team-mates’ economy, picking up four wickets.
Nepal struggled early on in reply, losing Khadka to the first ball of the chase and slipping to 36/4 after 6.2 overs. Opening bowlers Kyle Christie and Kinchit Shah claimed one each while Nasrulla Khan chipped in with a couple. In partnership with Pawan Sarraf, Bhandari helped rebuild, the pair adding 61 for the fifth wicket. Sarraf fell to Christie for 21 and Sompal Kami was pinned LBW by Ehsan Khan for 13 within 11 runs of victory, but Bhandari held his nerve to strike the winning runs.
The third day of the series, Monday, 7 October, will see Netherlands take on Nepal and Hong Kong face Ireland.
