Oman Struggles at 125/9 as Australia Secures Victory with Stoinis 67
Set to chase 165 Oman could manage 125 runs for the loss of nine wickets in the allotted 20 overs despite Ayaan Khan’s 36.
Oman, after a shaky start, lost wickets at regular intervals which halted the flow of runs. They were consequently reduced to 57/6 in 13 overs.
Meanwhile, Ayaan Khan, who came out to bat No.6 put up a notable fight against a strong Australian bowling attack and forged a defiant 32-run partnership with Mehran Khan before falling victim to Adam Zampa in the 16th over.
Ayaan remained the top-scorer for Oman with a 30-ball 36 which featured two fours and as many sixes.
Mehran on the other hand retaliated until the penultimate over and walked back after scoring 27 off just 16 deliveries with the help of one four and two sixes.
Marcus Stoinis led the bowling attack for Australia with 3/19 followed by Adam Zampa, Nathan Ellis, and Mitchell Starc, who claimed two wickets apiece.
Put into bat first Australia registered a commendable total of 164/5 on the board courtesy of a sensational fourth-wicket partnership between Warner and Stoinis.
The former champions, however, got off to a shaky start to their innings as they lost their hard-hitting opener Travis Head (12) with just 19 runs on the board in the third over.
Skipper Mitchell Marsh then joined Warner in the middle and the duo partnered briefly to add 31 runs for the second wicket until the former perished in the ninth over.
Marsh scored a scratchy 14 off 21 deliveries and could hit two boundaries.
Australia then endured another setback to their batting expedition as Glenn Maxwell fell for a golden duck. His dismissal reduced Australia to 50/3 in 8.3 overs.
Coming out to bat at No.5, Marcus Stoinis joined forces with David Warner, who was holding his end firm with sensible batting.
The duo launched recovery with cautious batting before Stoinis switched gears with belligerent hitting, which started when he hit Mehran Khan for 26 runs in the 15th over.
Warner and Stoinis then dominated Oman bowlers and scored at a brisk rate for Australia before the opener finally perished in the penultimate over after scoring a gutsy half-century.
David Warner scored 56 off 51 deliveries with the help of six boundaries and a six.
Meanwhile, Stoinis carried his bat all the way through and returned with an unbeaten 67 off just 36 deliveries laced up with two fours and six sixes.
Mehran Khan led the bowling charge for Oman with two wickets while Bilal Khan and Kaleemullah made one scalp each.
