Hello and welcome to the coverage of the Asia Cup match between India and Oman on Friday.
The Suryakumar Yadav-led India will look to bat first and get valuable time in the middle when they face Oman in their final Asia Cup group game in Abu Dhabi.
With Super 4 qualification already secured and a rematch against Pakistan looming on Sunday, the clash offers India's batters a chance to shake off rust after two straightforward chases.
Abhishek Sharma has provided brisk starts, but Shubman Gill will want to build an innings, while Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, and Axar Patel will also eye some time at the crease.
India's bowlers, led by Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy, will fancy wrapping things up quickly if Oman bat first.
Oman's batting has been fragile so far, with scores of 67 and 130 in their two defeats and no batter crossing 30. Hammad Mirza's 27 against Pakistan and Aryan Bisht's laboured 24 versus UAE are their best efforts. Head coach Gautam Gambhir is unlikely to tinker much with the XI, though Jasprit Bumrah may be rested as a precaution, opening the door for Arshdeep Singh. Harshit Rana could also be tried if India choose to rotate their spinners.
This will be India's only game in Abu Dhabi, and the team has opted against training there due to the two-hour travel each way. Instead, they will adopt an 'in-and-out' approach - travelling on match day, returning the same night, and taking Saturday off before the Pakistan blockbuster.
Beyond tactics, the Oman clash offers India a welcome break from the no-handshake controversy that followed their group-stage win over Pakistan, keeping the focus firmly back on cricket.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances
