Unbeaten half-centuries by Kashyap Prajapati and skipper Zeeshan Maqsood powered hosts Oman to a
nine-wicket win over Canada in the February 19 Group A match of the ICC Men’s T20
World Cup Qualifier A. Oman’s win helped them bounce back to keep their hopes alive for a spot in the semi-finals.
Chasing a target of 156 to win, hosts lost opening batter Jatinder Singh in the fifth over with the total at 30. Maqsood joined Prajapati in the middle and the pair exhibited some fine strokes all around the park. The duo took the attack to the bowlers to share a 129-run unbroken partnership to secure a comfortable win with 12 balls to spare.
Prajapati was unbeaten for 74 off 56 balls. His knock was studded with five boundaries
and four sixes. Maqsood displayed more attacking intent to race to his 76 off just 44 balls, with six boundaries and five maximums.
Jatinderpal Matharu’s second over cost him 19 runs as Maqsood hammered three fours
and a six. Along with Prajapati, the skipper continued the attack as they smashed the bowling attack
for a total of 47 runs in just three overs to wrap up the win. Rayyan Pathan and Matharu went for plenty in their spell as they gave away 24 and 23 runs respectively in their two-over spells.
Earlier, Ravinderpal Singh anchored Canada’s innings with a partnership with
Saad Zafar to guide the team to 83 before Maqsood broke the stand. Canadian opening pair Rayyan Pathan and
Matthew Spoors – got off to a bright start. Pathan was in fine form as he found the early boundaries in the Power play but was run out in the fifth over for 26 that included four
boundaries.
Matthew Spoors, who made a century on his February 18 T20I debut, followed his partner in the pavilion soon as
Kaleemullah came up with a splendid wicket-maiden sixth over. Canadian skipper Navneet Dhaliwal departed in the next over to leave the side at 43-3. Singh and Zafar revived the innings with a 42-run stand.
Oman bowlers restricted their opponents to a 62-3 at the halfway mark. Hamza Tariq and Singh gradually accelerated the run-rate as they took 12 off Syed Aamir Kaleem’s 14th
over. Singh finally fell in the 17th over caught brilliantly by
Prajapati off Bilal Khan.
Dilllon Heylinger struck some hits in the death overs, blasting a six and two successive boundaries in the 18th over to stay unbeaten on 21 off ten balls. Tariq ended Canada’s innings with a six to help the team’s total of 155 for six.