MUSCAT: With the Asia Cup 2025 commencing in the UAE on Tuesday, all attention is focused on the newcomers — Oman. For this team, the tournament signifies more than mere participation; it embodies years of hard work, enthusiasm, and development.
In anticipation of the tournament, captain Jatinder Singh articulates the squad’s perspective: "Being in Group A presents a significant challenge but also a privilege. Competing against India and Pakistan is always tough, yet it’s the type of challenge that fosters growth as a cricketer."
Confronting cricketing giants like India and Pakistan is certainly intimidating, but Oman perceives it as a priceless chance to learn, adapt, and demonstrate their abilities on an international platform.
Pathway to the Asia Cup
Oman secured their inaugural Asia Cup qualification through the ACC Men’s Premier Cup held in April of the previous year. The team dominated their group, achieving four victories out of four, placing ahead of the UAE, and triumphed over Hong Kong by five wickets in the semi-finals. Although UAE claimed victory in the final, both teams, along with Hong Kong, had already earned their places in the Asia Cup.
Since that time, Oman has displayed flashes of potential despite inconsistent outcomes — the team has acquired invaluable international experience. They hosted the Netherlands for a T20I series in November, where they lost 2-1, and participated in the Gulf T20I Championship in December, securing wins against Bahrain and Qatar but narrowly missing the final. Most recently, they faced the USA in February, suffering a 3-0 defeat.
Oman’s Asia Cup squad features a blend of emerging talent and seasoned players. Four members of the squad are uncapped, showcasing the team’s depth and potential. A significant portion of the batting duties will fall on Jatinder, who boasts 125 international caps and has accumulated 3,103 runs across all formats. Among the bowlers, left-arm spinner Shakeel Ahmed, who made his T20I debut in September 2023, has emerged as a crucial player due to his precision and controlled economy of 6.67.
Another promising talent is 20-year-old Aryan Bisht — a middle-order batter who also bowls useful off-spin. Although he has yet to make his T20I debut, he made a mark at the junior level, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer in the Under-19 World Cup Qualifier Asia Division Two in 2022, while also taking seven wickets in five matches.
Leading the team are coach Duleep Mendis from Sri Lanka and newly appointed deputy head coach Sulakshan Kulkarni from India, whose expertise and perspectives have been crucial in getting the squad ready for the challenges of the Asia Cup cricket.
Oman is placed in Group A, along with India, Pakistan, and the UAE. Their tournament begins on September 12 against Pakistan in Dubai, followed by games against the UAE on September 15 and India on September 19 in Abu Dhabi.
'Play fearless cricket'
"Our goal is to play fearless cricket and make Oman proud," states Jatinder. "Although we are newcomers, we are here to compete with passion, not merely to take part."
With a blend of determination, youthful vigor, and seasoned leadership both on the field and from the coaching staff, Oman approaches their first Asia Cup with the goal of leaving a significant impression and demonstrating their ability to compete with the top teams.
In a recent update, Oman has made two adjustments to the squad, bringing in Wasim Ali and Jitenkumar Ramanandi to replace Karan Sonavale (injury) and Muhammed Imran (logistical issues).
Revised Oman squad: Jatinder Singh (capt), Hammad Mirza, Vinayak Shukla, Sufyan Yousuf, Ashish Odedara, Aamir Kaleem, Mohammed Nadeem, Sufyan Mehmood, Aryan Bisht, Wasim Ali, Zikriya Islam, Hassnain Shah, Faisal Shah, Jitenkumar Ramanandi, Nadeem Khan, Shakeel Ahmed, Samay Shrivastava.
