OMAN TAKE ON PNG IN OPENING CLASH
Ahead of Oman’s crucial opening encounter against World Cup debutants Papua New Guinea (PNG), Oman’s Aqib Ilyas stated the squad was motivated to play in front of home crowds in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021, at the Oman Cricket Academy ground, Amerat, on Sunday.
Ilyas, who addressed the media in the absence of skipper Zeeshan Maqsood, was upbeat and excited about Oman’s prospects in the biennial T20 extravaganza.
“We are really motivated to do well in the tournament and it feels great to know that we will play in front of our home crowds. We are working very hard and Inshallah we will do well.”
The right-handed Sialkot-born batsman reflected upon Oman’s journey over the last decade to cohosting the World Cup.
“For many of the Oman players, this will be the best thing to happen, for us to host the tournament and get to play on home soil. About 10 years back we were playing on sand and turf wickets. Over the years, the players started doing well and team started performing well and now we have the World Cup right here on home soil.”
This will be Oman’s second foray at the prestigious ICC event and they would most certainly look at creating a strong impression in front of the world.
Ilyas felt the Oman team gearing up for this edition of the tournament is very different from the one that played in India in 2016.
“There is a huge difference in the team because most of the players are young and they have played well together and jelled well. The players are together since the last 4-5 years and have a good understanding. There is a lot of unity and we have got some professional staff guiding us. Our fitness has improved and over the years our coach Duleep Mendis has helped us become strong mentally. We have got good bowling coaches who have helped shape the bowlers we have now. On the Associate level, our bar has been raised high.”
Ilyas felt Oman team’s biggest strength was their improvement as a squad in all departments of the game.
“There was a time when bowling was the only strength of the Oman team. Now, even the batsmen are doing really well. Our fielding has also improved quite a bit, so we are doing well as a unit’’, he added.
Oman had a tough examination ahead of the challenging World
Cup with two warm-up games against an established Sri Lanka outfit. Although, they lost both games, the team made an impact by pushing the Lankans in both matches and having them on the mat at various stages as well.
“It was the first time we played against any Test-playing nation and we never thought that we would play the way we did and test them. We could see the difference that experience makes and Sri Lanka showed us in these two matches. They (SL) were 4-5 down for 50 runs in the first match and we were in control, then they had a great partnership and took the game away from us. And when we batted, our top order failed to fire, but our lower order batsmen played some good knocks to take us close.”
Looking ahead to the PNG match, Ilyas stated they were not taking the opposition lightly.
“All games are important for us and every team has to be taken seriously. We have done well against them in the ODIS and in the past but in T20s, one can never say. We have to be on top of our game to beat them.”
Ilyas also stated Oman currently did not have any injury concerns or fitness issues with regard to their players going into the tournament.
PNG SKIPPER WARY BUT FOCUSED
Meanwhile, Papua New Guinea (PNG) are on the cusp of the biggest moment in their cricketing history and skipper Assad Vala acknowledged the significance of the occasion.
“It’s our first ever World Cup match and we are really excited to play the game and put our best foot forward’’, he added.
“First time we are at the World Cup, so the country is buzzing and behind us and we are looking forward to making them proud. The players are going to go there and give it their best and hopefully put some smiles on the faces of people back home.”
Vala felt PNG had got the feel of the venue and conditions having been here for more than two weeks now.
“We have acclimatised well to the conditions since we have been here since September 30th and played the ODIS. We have got used to the pitch and weather and got a feel of things. So, we are looking forward to the games ahead.”
The PNG skipper was wary of Oman playing in front of an expectant home crowd.
“They are a good side and well balanced. They will have the crowd backing them as well playing on home soil, so it’s going to be tough for us. However, we have to focus on ourselves and our game. We should stop worrying about things that we cannot control’’, he added.
We are really motivated to do well in the tournament and it feels great to know that we will play in front of our home crowds. We are working very hard and Inshallah we will do well AQIB ILYAS Oman batsman