Oman has secured the T20 World Cup spot for the first time in history by defeating Namibia. This means that they will be one of the teams contesting for the world cup next year which is to be held in India. Surely they are on cloud nine by now.
They accomplished this by defeating Namibia comprehensively by five wickets. Batting first, Namibia posted a formidable 148-9 in their allotted 20 overs. Oman were positive in their chase from the very beginning and notched up 41 runs in first five overs thanks to confident hitting from Khawar Ali and Zeeshan Maqsood. Khawar fell off the first ball of the sixth for 18 after being done in by a Sarel Burger slower ball while Maqsood fell for 28 after trying to sneak a second run off a misfield. Aamir Kaleem was Bernard Scholtz’s 14th wicket of the tournament, caught behind after gloving an attempted sweep for 8 to make it 67 for 3 in nine overs.
However, Oman did not let Bernard tie them down as he had done successfully against other teams, using their feet to shuffle around the crease and create room for scoring options, mainly with deft glides for singles and twos in the gaps in front of square. After the game, Siddiqui indicated that Oman’s daily net sessions against their own arsenal of left-arm spinners – Ajay Lalcheta, Aamer Kaleem and Maqsood – had prepared them well for the challenge posed by Bernard. His figures of 1 for 29 were Bernard’s second-worst of the tournament as Siddiqui and Jatinder Singh manufactured a 62-run stand to put Oman in total control.
When Jatinder was run out for 33 attempting a tight single, Oman were left needing 20 off 19 balls with six wickets in hand. Gerrie Snyman prized out another wicket in the following over, getting Mehran Khan inside-edge an attempted slog onto his stumps. But Siddiqui washed away any nervous energy by bashing Gerrie for six over long-off which prompted his new batting partner Aamer Ali to race down the wicket and give him a bear hug.
Another four by Siddiqui to end the over through cover spurred another embrace from Aamer. Six balls later, Siddiqui sealed the match to spark emotional celebrations on the pitch. Namibia have now lost four consecutive opportunities to clinch a spot in the World T20, after two playoff losses in 2012 and now a couple in 2014.
