Oman run India close in final group stage fixture

Led by Aamir Kaleem and Hammad Mirza's half-centuries, Oman put up a fighting display in their last match of the ongoing Asia Cup, but fell 21 runs short of India's total of 188 in Abu Dhabi on Friday night. Even as India experimented with their batting line-up as well as bowling options and Oman never looked to threaten the eventual result, they kept the fight going till the end.

Where was the game won?

Even as Oman made an impressive start in the PowerPlay, it is that phase which made the difference between the two sides. Abhishek Sharma's assault in the PowerPlay ensured that even as Shubman Gill and Sanju Samson struggled against the moving ball early on, India did power to a strong start.

India

Powerplay: Abhishek assault blunts swing threat

Phase Score: 60/1 [RR - 10.00, 4s/6s - 6/3]

Led by Abhishek Sharma's blazing assault, India powered to a strong start in the PowerPlay even as the Oman pacers troubled Shubman Gill and Samson with early movement. Faisal Shah, especially, got the ball to move around a fair bit and cleaned up Gill in the second over, which ended up as a wicket-maiden. However, Abhishek tore into Mohammad Nadeem, smashing three boundaries in the fifth over, and ended the PowerPlay by lofting Jiten Ramanandi's slower delivery for a six down the ground.

Middle overs: Samson holds fort as India lose momentum

Phase Score: 80/4 [RR - 8.88, 4s/6s - 5/3]

Oman struck twice in quick succession soon after the PowerPlay, with Abhishek and Hardik Pandya departing in the eighth over. However, Samson and Axar Patel's attack kept the scoreboard moving along at a quick pace, before the latter under-edged a cut to the 'keeper. Shivam Dube and Tilak Varma struggled to get going, while Samson was dropped on 43. The scoring rate was curbed following the mid-stage of the innings, but by then India looked well placed to post an above-par total.

Death Overs: India find pace despite experiments

Phase Score: 48/3 [RR - 9.60, 4s/6s - 2/3]

Tilak, batting at No 7, after a slow start, accelerated at the death by tonking a couple of sixes and a boundary. Samson failed to cash in on the reprieve and departed soon after bringing up his half-century. Oman chipped in with late wickets, and even as Suryakumar Yadav demoted himself to No 11, India's lower order did a reasonable job to ensure a healthy total was posted on the board, with the last delivery smashed over the ropes by Harshit Rana.

Oman

Powerplay: Jatinder, Kaleem make steady start

Phase Score: 44/0 (RR: 7.33; 4s/6s: 6/0)

Jatinder Singh and Aamir Kaleem made a steady start to the run-chase. As the Indian pacers looked to over-utilise the short-pitched deliveries at the Oman openers on a wicket where the ball was holding on a bit, the batters took their chances, and were especially successful against Harshit Rana, who was carted for three boundaries in the powerplay.

Middle Overs: Kaleem, Mirza keep Oman in the hunt

Phase Score: 72/1 (RR: 8.00; 4s/6s: 6/2)

Even as Jaitnder was unfotunate to get an inside edge on to the stumps and depart after a half-century stand for the opening wicket, Oman didn't let the chase slip away. While India employed as many as eight bowling options, with spongy bounce on offer, run scoring was difficult. However, Hammad Mirza and Kaleem began to cut loose in the 13th over and smacked Abhishek for a boundary and a six. Soon after Mirza was dropped on 21, Kaleem took down Dube and picked 16 runs from the 15th over. In the process, Kaleem became the oldest cricketer to score a T20I half-century against a Full Member nation.

Death Overs: Mirza, Kaleem scare India, but Oman fall short

Phase Score: 51/3 (RR: 10.20; 4s/6s: 2/3)

Even as the task was tall in the death overs, Oman didn't give up without a fight. Mirza clubbed Kuldeep Yadav for two sixes to begin the 16th over, and took the charge against Arshdeep Singh in the next over. As the partnership flourished, the batters also cleverly started toying with the field. It required a stunning effort by Hardik near the boundary ropes to end the second-wicket stand on 93, and bring an end to a threatening partnership. Arshdeep dismissed Vinayak Shukla in the last over to become the first Indian man to bag 100 T20I wickets. Mirza, who had blazed away to a half-century, struggled to give Oman the final push as they were eventually restricted to 167/4.

Brief Scores: India 188/8 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 56, Abhishek Sharma 38; Shah Faisal 2-23, Aamir Kaleem 2-31) beat Oman 167/4 in 20 overs (Aamir Kaleem 64, Hameed Mirza 51; Kuldeep Yadav 1-23) by 21 runs

Where do they go from here?

Oman's campaign has come to an end with three defeats in three group games. India, who had already qualified for the Super 4s finish as the top side in the group, and will face Pakistan on Sunday.