India maintained their unbeaten run in the Asia Cup T20 with a hard-fought 21-run victory over a spirited Oman side at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Thursday night. Sanju Samson’s patient half-century and Arshdeep Singh’s landmark 100th T20I wicket proved decisive as the tournament favourites were tested in unexpected ways.
Samson Anchors, Abhishek Provides Spark
After being asked to bat, India rode on Abhishek Sharma’s fireworks in the powerplay, his 38 off 15 balls setting the tempo after vice-captain Shubman Gill fell cheaply. Samson then took charge, rebuilding steadily despite a surprise run-out of Hardik Pandya. Samson’s 56 off 45 was far from fluent, but it held the innings together. He combined with Axar Patel (26 off 13) and later Tilak Varma (29 off 18) to keep India moving.
It was a bit hot and humid out there. Really good to spend some time in the middle and contribute. Any contribution for the country, you take the positives and keep learning.
A late six from Harshit Rana pushed India to 188/8, their third-highest total against an Associate nation.
Oman’s Spin Trio Impresses
Oman’s bowlers, especially the spin trio of Faisal Shah (2/23), Jiten Ramanandi (2/33) and Aamir Kaleem (2/31), impressed with their control, ensuring India did not run away to 200-plus. Their fielding too created pressure — Ramanandi’s deflection onto the stumps running out Hardik was a key moment.
I am extremely proud of the unit. They had their plans and executed them well. We showed character in the crunch moments. This game was a blessing in disguise ahead of our World Cup qualifiers. The boys are ready.
Kaleem And Mirza Fight Back
Oman’s chase was built on Aamir Kaleem’s fluent 64 off 46 and Hammad Mirza’s counterattacking 51 off 31. The pair added 93 runs for the third wicket, at one stage silencing the Indian camp. Kuldeep Yadav’s control (1/23) and Hardik Pandya’s discipline (1/26) kept India in the contest, before Harshit Rana’s sharp pace removed Mirza late.
Skipper Jatinder set the tone early with 32, while Ramanandi’s late boundaries meant Oman ended at 167/4, just 21 runs short of a famous upset.
Arshdeep Creates History
The final flourish belonged to Arshdeep Singh, who bowled the last over under pressure and dismissed Kaleem to bring up his 100th T20I wicket — the first Indian men’s cricketer to the milestone.
Credit goes to Arshdeep and Rana for the way they bowled. Oman played an unbelievable brand of cricket. I really enjoyed watching them. It is a little difficult when you don’t get to bat, but as captain I couldn’t be prouder.
A Test That Bodes Well For Both Sides
While India stayed perfect in the Super Four stage, Oman walked away with heads held high, having pushed the No.1 ranked side deep into the contest. With T20 World Cup qualifiers looming, their performance underlined progress and promise.
Brief Scores: India 188/8 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 56, Abhishek Sharma 38, Tilak Varma 29; Aamir Kaleem 2/31, Jiten Ramanandi 2/33) Oman 167/4 in 20 overs (Aamir Kaleem 64, Hammad Mirza 51; Hardik Pandya 1/26, Kuldeep Yadav 1/23) India won by 21 runs.
