Just days after they snubbed Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025, India cricketers shared warm hugs with Oman players in the Asia Cup 2025. After the conclusion of their third and final group-stage game in the tournament, Indian players spent time with Oman and shared valuable insights about the game.
As the teams shook hands with each other, Indian players hugged Oman opener Aamir Kaleem for his gritty innings of 64 off 46 balls. Kaleem played a fantastic knock and nearly put Oman in a commanding position in the final three overs of the game. Kaleem and Hammad Mirza added 93 runs for the second wicket, which forced the experimental Indian team to raise their level on Friday.
Oman came close with both Kaleem and Mirza scoring half-centuries, but ended up losing the match by 21 runs. India captain Suryakumar Yadav took time out after the game and spoke to the Oman team. He also clicked photos with the Oman players.
“I feel, Oman played unbelievable brand of cricket. I knew with their coach, Sulu sir (Sulakshan Kulkarni), there will be khadoosness. It was amazing, really enjoyed watching them bat,” the India captain said after the match.
Asia Cup 2025: India vs Oman Match Report
India’s Experimentation Nearly Fails
With a Super Four spot already secured, Suryakumar Yadav’s India approached their final Group A fixture of the Asia Cup 2025 in Abu Dhabi as an opportunity to test bench strength. The team management gave untested batters valuable time in the middle and handed part-time bowlers a chance to roll their arms over. While the strategy was sound in theory, it nearly backfired on the field.
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India posted a competitive 188 in their 20 overs on a challenging Abu Dhabi surface, but Oman rose to the occasion with a spirited response. Veteran Aamir Kaleem and young Hammad Mirza both scored fighting half-centuries, keeping their side in the chase until the 18th over. As the partnership grew, tension briefly crept into the Indian camp, with a few anxious faces in the dugout. The breakthrough finally came when Hardik Pandya pulled off a sensational catch, ending the stand and dashing Oman’s hopes.
India vs Oman, Asia Cup Highlights
Oman eventually finished on 167 for 4, falling 21 runs short despite having six wickets in hand. Captain Jatinder Singh and opener Aamir Kaleem put on 56 runs during the powerplay, as India failed to pick up a wicket in the first 8.3 overs. Replacement bowlers Akashdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, coming in for Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy, struggled to find early breakthroughs.
The real threat emerged in the latter stages, with Aamir and Hammad switching gears after the 15th over. However, the asking rate proved too steep in the final overs, and Oman couldn’t apply the finishing touches to what could have been a major upset.
India ultimately closed out the match with a 21-run win. While the result went as expected, both sides will take positives: India managed to get game time into their squad players and test their bench depth, while Oman left the field with their heads held high after a gutsy all-round performance.
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