MUSCAT: The Netherlands reserved their best for the last as they secured an impressive 29-run victory over Oman in the third T20I, sealing the series 2-1 with an all-round display of batting, bowling and fielding.
Oman, who won the toss and elected to field, had hoped to put pressure on the Netherlands’ batting order, but the Dutch proved too strong, posting a competitive total of 147/9 in their allotted 20 overs.
Oman’s chase got off to a poor start as they lost early wickets. Jatinder Singh (6) and Aamir Kaleem (9) were dismissed cheaply, while Ashish Odedara fell for a duck, leaving Oman in dire straits at 13/3.
A brief revival came from Hammad Mirza (9), but he too fell to Vivian Kingma. At 24/4, the chase seemed all but over.
Sandeep Goud’s dismissal for a duck (0) made it 25/5, and Oman’s hopes of chasing down the target seemed increasingly slim. However, Shakeel Ahmed mounted a valiant resistance, scoring a quickfire 45 off 33 balls, hitting three boundaries and two sixes.
His efforts gave Oman a brief glimmer of hope, but wickets kept tumbling at the other end. Mehran Khan (18) and Sufyan Mehmood (23 not out) tried to rebuild, but the required run rate continued to climb beyond their reach.
With Oman at 48/7 in the 10th over, the Dutch bowlers tightened their grip.
Kyle Klein was the standout performer with the ball, claiming four wickets for 16 runs, including the crucial early dismissals of Jatinder, Kaleem and Odedara.
Paul van Meekeren backed up Klein with two wickets for 24, dismissing Mehran Khan and Jay Odedra (0) in quick succession.
Oman’s lower order was unable to launch a significant recovery, and despite Shakeel's late fight, the target remained elusive as he was run out and Oman’s innings ended at 118/9.
Earlier, the Netherlands' innings began with a wobble as Michael Levitt was dismissed for just two runs in the first over by Shakeel Ahmed. However, Max O'Dowd (66 off 55 balls) steadied the ship with a fluent knock, hitting seven boundaries and one six.
Teja Nidamanuru provided valuable support, scoring 36 off 24 balls, including two fours and three sixes, as the pair put on a crucial partnership. O'Dowd's steady strike rate ensured the Netherlands kept ticking along despite regular wickets falling at the other end.
Scott Edwards (10) and Colin Ackermann (1) were dismissed cheaply, both falling to Oman's spinners.
Bas de Leede was dismissed for five runs, while Noah Croes (15) and Kyle Klein (2) also departed, leaving the tail exposed. Shakeel Ahmed was the pick of Oman’s bowlers, claiming 3 wickets for 24, while Muzahir Raza (1 for 11), Sufyan Mehmood (1 for 14), and Mohammad Nadeem (1 for 36) chipped in with key breakthroughs.
Brief scores: Netherlands 147/9 (Max O'Dowd 66, Teja Nidamanuru 36; Shakeel Ahmed 3/24) beat Oman 118/9 (Shakeel Ahmed 45, Sufyan Mehmood 23*; Kyle Klein 4/16, Paul van Meekeren 2/24).
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