MUSCAT: Oman’s excellent run at home continued as Duleep Mendis’ men won the first T20I match against the Netherlands by three wickets for their fifth successive win at the Oman Cricket Academy ground on Wednesday.
Hosts Oman, who recently concluded the Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series with an all-win record (four wins in a row) against the UAE and the Netherlands, won the first of the three-match T20I series against the Dutch side.
In a thrilling low-scoring match, Oman chased down a target of 139 with five balls to spare. Hammad Mirza’s composed knock of 62 not out and a disciplined performance from the host bowlers played key roles in the victory, as Oman withstood early setbacks to get over the line.
Oman got off to a rocky start in the chase. Captain and opener Jatinder Singh was dismissed early for 12 off 7 balls by Timm van der Gugten, and Aamir Kaleem followed shortly after, caught behind off Aryan Dutt for just 2 runs. To make matters worse, Wasim Ali was dismissed for 5, leaving Oman struggling at 16-3 after just three overs. The Netherlands’ bowlers, particularly Van der Gugten and Dutt, kept the pressure on, and Oman appeared to be in danger of falling well short of the target.
However, the arrival of Mirza brought the innings back on track. Mirza, who has been in fine form, played a responsible innings, not only anchoring the chase but also striking some lofty blows with an unbeaten 62 from 42 balls, which included five boundaries and three sixes.
He found valuable support from Ashish Odedara (14) and Sufyan Mehmood (37), who put together a crucial 76-run stand for the fifth wicket. Mehmood’s knock featured three sixes and helped steady the chase after Oman had slipped to 40-4.
As the target neared, the wickets continued to fall around Mirza. Odedara was dismissed for 14, and Mehmood was dismissed for 37 in the 17th over, leaving Oman needing 23 from 18 balls. However, with the steady hand of Mirza guiding the chase, Oman managed to cross the line. Despite losing Mehran Khan (4) and Siddharth Bukkapatnam (0) in the final overs, Oman finished on 139/7 in 19.1 overs, with Mirza remaining not out at the end.
Earlier in the day, the Netherlands were put on the back foot by some sharp bowling from Oman. The Dutch openers were dismissed cheaply, and the top order collapsed under pressure. Teja Nidamanuru was dismissed for 9 off 7 balls by Muzahir Raza in the opening over, and Vikramjit Singh fell for just 6, bowled by Raza, leaving the Netherlands at 19-2 after 3 overs.
Scott Edwards, the Netherlands’ captain, was trapped lbw for 6 by Raza in the fourth over, further deepening the visitors’ woes. Max O'Dowd and Colin Ackermann attempted a rebuild, with O'Dowd contributing 14 runs before falling to Aamir Kaleem. Ackermann, however, fought valiantly and scored 34 off 31 balls, helping his side reach 50 by the 7th over. His dismissal to Kaleem in the 17th over, at 107/6, left the Dutch with little room to recover.
Bas de Leede was caught by Mehmood off Mehran Khan for 16, and the lower order could not offer much resistance. Timm van der Gugten contributed 14 runs, while Roelof van der Merwe was dismissed for just 1. The Netherlands finished their innings on 138/7 after 20 overs, with Noah Croes remaining unbeaten on 33 off 20 balls, providing the only late flourish for the visitors.
Raza was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 3-42, while Kaleem supported well with 2-28. Mehran Khan (1-15) and Shakeel Ahmed (1-24) also played crucial roles in keeping the Netherlands’ total in check. Samay Shrivastav (0-18) contributed in the middle overs, maintaining pressure and keeping the scoring rate under control.
Brief scores: Netherlands 138/7 in 20 overs: (Noah Croes 33*, Colin Ackermann 34; Muzahir Raza 3-42, Aamir Kaleem 2-28) lost to Oman 139/7 in 19.1 overs: (Hammad Mirza 62*, Sufyan Mehmood 37; Roelof van der Merwe 3-15, Timm van der Gugten 2-33).
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