Oman Defeats Nepal ‘A’ by 70 Runs in One-Day Practice Match
KATHMANDU — The visiting Omani side, in Nepal for the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2, secured a 70-run victory over Nepal ‘A’ in an unofficial practice One-Day International on Wednesday.
In the match held at the Upper Mulpani Cricket Ground, Oman set a competitive target of 281 runs. In response, Nepal ‘A’ was bundled out for 210 runs. Despite a promising start on a batting-friendly surface, the hosts’ middle and lower-order failed to capitalize, leading to their defeat.
Before the match, Oman captain Jatinder Singh and Nepal ‘A’ captain Anil Sah both noted that the pitch was ideal for batting and expected a high-scoring game. Jatinder mentioned that a total above 250 would be competitive, while Anil aimed to restrict Oman to a low total.
However, Oman’s solid batting performance proved too much for the Nepal ‘A’ squad. “While this is a League 2 preparation for Oman, this match is more than just practice for us; it’s about setting the right mentality for the upcoming series,” Anil Sah stated during the toss. Since this was a practice match, teams were allowed to utilize all 14 squad members according to their roles.
Nepal ‘A’ included several standout performers from the Prime Minister Cup, but a sudden batting collapse ended their hopes of victory. ## Oman’s Strong Total After winning the toss and electing to bat, Oman got off to a flying start. Captain Jatinder Singh and Ashish Odedra shared a 79-run opening partnership. Jatinder scored 58 runs before being dismissed, while Ashish contributed 27. When Hammad Mirza fell for just 5, Oman was 94-3, giving the Nepali bowlers a brief opening. However, Muzahir Ali (72) and Hashir Dafedar (46) stabilized the innings with a brilliant 91-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Late contributions from Vinayak Shukla (25) and Jiten Ramanandi (17) propelled Oman to 280.
Nepal’s inability to take wickets in the middle overs proved costly. Reflecting on the bowling performance, Anil Sah noted, “I think we leaked too many runs at the start. We expected the pitch to offer more help to the bowlers, but their partnerships were very strong.” ## The Batting Collapse Nepal ‘A’ was in a commanding position at one stage, sitting at 177-2 with Dev Khanal and Ishan Pandey at the crease. The left-right combination seemed to have the chase under control before the collapse began. Nepal ‘A’ spiraled from 177-2 to 201-8, eventually losing their final eight wickets for just 33 runs.
Openers Anil Sah (50) and Trit Raj Das (31) had provided a solid 84-run foundation. After they departed, Dev Khanal (43) and Ishan Pandey (52) added 86 runs together, but the subsequent batsmen failed to stay at the crease. Sundeep Jora (11), Kushal Malla (1), Santosh Yadav (0), and Rashid Khan (1) all fell cheaply. Captain Anil Sah emphasized that the top four batsmen needed to take more responsibility.
“I feel we faltered in our calculation. At one point, we needed a run-a-ball. The plan was for one set batter to stay until the 45th over, but we couldn’t execute that,” he said. Oman captain Jatinder Singh praised the Nepali side but expressed confidence in his team’s preparation. “Nepal is a good team, but we have a strong variety of left-arm spinners and we are fully ready for League 2,” Jatinder concluded.
KATHMANDU — The visiting Omani side, in Nepal for the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2, secured a 70-run victory over Nepal ‘A’ in an unofficial practice One-Day International on Wednesday.
In the match held at the Upper Mulpani Cricket Ground, Oman set a competitive target of 281 runs. In response, Nepal ‘A’ was bundled out for 210 runs. Despite a promising start on a batting-friendly surface, the hosts’ middle and lower-order failed to capitalize, leading to their defeat.
Before the match, Oman captain Jatinder Singh and Nepal ‘A’ captain Anil Sah both noted that the pitch was ideal for batting and expected a high-scoring game. Jatinder mentioned that a total above 250 would be competitive, while Anil aimed to restrict Oman to a low total.
However, Oman’s solid batting performance proved too much for the Nepal ‘A’ squad. “While this is a League 2 preparation for Oman, this match is more than just practice for us; it’s about setting the right mentality for the upcoming series,” Anil Sah stated during the toss. Since this was a practice match, teams were allowed to utilize all 14 squad members according to their roles.
Nepal ‘A’ included several standout performers from the Prime Minister Cup, but a sudden batting collapse ended their hopes of victory. ## Oman’s Strong Total After winning the toss and electing to bat, Oman got off to a flying start. Captain Jatinder Singh and Ashish Odedra shared a 79-run opening partnership. Jatinder scored 58 runs before being dismissed, while Ashish contributed 27. When Hammad Mirza fell for just 5, Oman was 94-3, giving the Nepali bowlers a brief opening. However, Muzahir Ali (72) and Hashir Dafedar (46) stabilized the innings with a brilliant 91-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Late contributions from Vinayak Shukla (25) and Jiten Ramanandi (17) propelled Oman to 280.
Nepal’s inability to take wickets in the middle overs proved costly. Reflecting on the bowling performance, Anil Sah noted, “I think we leaked too many runs at the start. We expected the pitch to offer more help to the bowlers, but their partnerships were very strong.” ## The Batting Collapse Nepal ‘A’ was in a commanding position at one stage, sitting at 177-2 with Dev Khanal and Ishan Pandey at the crease. The left-right combination seemed to have the chase under control before the collapse began. Nepal ‘A’ spiraled from 177-2 to 201-8, eventually losing their final eight wickets for just 33 runs.
Openers Anil Sah (50) and Trit Raj Das (31) had provided a solid 84-run foundation. After they departed, Dev Khanal (43) and Ishan Pandey (52) added 86 runs together, but the subsequent batsmen failed to stay at the crease. Sundeep Jora (11), Kushal Malla (1), Santosh Yadav (0), and Rashid Khan (1) all fell cheaply. Captain Anil Sah emphasized that the top four batsmen needed to take more responsibility.
“I feel we faltered in our calculation. At one point, we needed a run-a-ball. The plan was for one set batter to stay until the 45th over, but we couldn’t execute that,” he said. Oman captain Jatinder Singh praised the Nepali side but expressed confidence in his team’s preparation. “Nepal is a good team, but we have a strong variety of left-arm spinners and we are fully ready for League 2,” Jatinder concluded.
