Friday 17 / October / 2025
MUSCAT: World Cup-bound Oman celebrated their qualification in emphatic fashion, cruising to a nine-wicket victory over Japan in their concluding Super Six game to wrap up their ICC Men’s T20 Asia/East Asia Pacific (EAP) Qualifier campaign on a high at the Oman Cricket Academy Ground on Friday.
With the win, Duleep Mendis’ men finished the nine-team tournament with eight points from five matches.
Both Oman and Nepal had already sealed their spots on Wednesday for next year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup—co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka—along with the UAE, who joined them after beating Japan on Thursday.
On Friday, Oman’s stand-in skipper Aamir Kaleem won the toss and opted to field first, and his bowlers vindicated that decision with a disciplined performance that left Japan reeling.
Right-arm medium pacer Sufyan Mehmood produced his career-best T20I figures of 3/26, triggering a collapse that saw Japan dismissed for 103 in 18.2 overs. He was well supported by fellow seamers Shah Faisal (2/21), and Jitenkumar Ramanandi (2/4), while spinners Nadeem Khan (2/19) and Shakeel Ahmed (1/20) combined to keep the visitors under constant pressure.
Japan’s innings never found momentum after losing both openers cheaply. Skipper Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming and Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake departed inside the first four overs as Oman’s bowlers struck early blows. From 21/2, Japan slid to 55/6 by the ninth over. Soon they were down to 65/8 but Ibrahim Takahashi offered resistance with a brisk 29 off 20 balls, including two sixes to lead Japan to 100-run mark. Ramanandi ended Takahashi’s defiance in the 17th over before wrapping up the innings by dismissing Makoto Taniyama in the 19th over.
In reply, Oman’s chase was steady and assured. Openers Aamir Kaleem (28 off 28) and Hammad Mirza (50 not out off 55) put on 55 for the first wicket before Kaleem fell to Charlie Hara-Hinze in the 11th over. Mirza, however, anchored the innings beautifully, bringing up his half-century in the 17th over—his knock featuring four boundaries and a six. Wasim Ali added late flourish with an unbeaten 25 off 19 balls, striking two sixes and a four as Oman reached 107/1 in 17 overs to seal a comprehensive win.
Sufyan Mehmood’s incisive spell earned him the Player of the Match award, capping off a strong team performance that underlined Oman’s growing confidence ahead of their fourth T20 World Cup appearance and second in succession after their participation in the 2024 World Cup in West Indies and the USA.
Brief scores: Japan 103 in 18.2 overs (Ibrahim Takahashi 29; Sufyan Mehmood 3/26, Nadeem Khan 2/19, Shah Faisal 2/21, Jitenkumar Ramanandi 2/4) lost to Oman 107/1 in 17 overs (Hammad Mirza 50*, Aamir Kaleem 28, Wasim Ali 25*).
ENDS
