India claimed a 21-run victory over Oman in their final group game of the Asia Cup at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, on Friday. The result came in a dead rubber fixture, with India already out of contention for the next stage of the tournament.
Batting first after winning the toss, India put 188 for 8 on the board in 20 overs. Abhishek Sharma provided a flying start with 38 off just 15 balls, smashing five boundaries and two sixes. Sanju Samson anchored the innings with 56 from 45 deliveries, while Tilak Varma added a quick 29 off 18. Oman bowlers kept the pressure in the later overs, with Aamir Kaleem and Jiten Ramanandi taking two wickets each. Shah Faisal also chipped in with two wickets at an economical rate.
Oman responded strongly, with captain Jatinder Singh and Aamir Kaleem sharing a 56-run opening stand. Kaleem top-scored with a fluent 64 off 46 balls, while Hammad Mirza added 51 from 33 deliveries. Despite the good start, Oman’s middle order failed to accelerate, leaving them short at 167 for 4 in 20 overs. For India, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Hardik Pandya, and Arshdeep Singh picked up a wicket each to restrict the chase.
The match was a contest of pride, as both teams had already been eliminated from the tournament. India’s young players, however, managed to leave a mark with their batting performance, while Oman showed promise with both bat and ball but lacked the finishing touch.
