Oman set up semifinal clash with Nepal Oman’s young, home-grown cricket team faced a significant setback in their final Group B fixture of the Men’s T20I Asian Games Qualifier, losing to Hong Kong by 154 runs at the Singapore National Cricket Ground on Friday. Despite the defeat, Oman secured their place in the semifinals, having previously defeated Singapore and Bahrain to claim a historic Asian Games berth. The team will now prepare for a high-stakes semifinal against tournament favorites Nepal on June 7. Oman’s captain, Sufyan Mehmood, opted to bowl first after winning the toss, a decision that proved costly. Hong Kong delivered a dominant batting performance, amassing 287 for 1 in 20 overs. Opener Anshuman Rath led the charge with an unbeaten 140 off 56 balls, including 13 fours and 10 sixes, at a strike rate of 250. He formed a 192-run partnership with skipper Nizakat Khan, who scored 76 from 45 balls, hitting six fours and four sixes. Oman’s breakthrough came in the 15th over when Naveed al Balushi dismissed Nizakat, but the respite was short-lived. Babar Hayat then launched a late assault, scoring an unbeaten 63 from 19 balls, with seven fours and five sixes, to help Hong Kong reach their imposing total. In the chase, Oman struggled to keep up with the required run rate. Their batting line-up faltered under pressure, and they were dismantled by Hong Kong’s disciplined attack. Off-spinner Ehsan Khan was the standout performer, claiming 4 wickets for 12 runs in four overs. Oman’s batters showed some resilience, with Zubair al Balushi scoring 40 off 23 balls, including five fours and two sixes, and wicketkeeper Muzaffar Shiralkar contributing 36 from 26 deliveries, hitting six fours and a six. Oman eventually ended the innings at 133 for 8. The match also marked the T20I debuts of Munthir al Balushi and Faris al Balushi.#nepal #oman #hong_kong #nizakat_khan #anshuman_rath
