UAE Clinch First Asia Cup Win as Siddique Stars in Powerplay Collapse of Oman
UAE secured a convincing 42-run victory over Oman in their Asia Cup group-stage clash, thanks to strong contributions from both their top-order batters and disciplined bowling led by Junaid Siddique, who ripped through Oman’s top order with a four-wicket haul.
Batting first on a slow and low Abu Dhabi surface, UAE posted a competitive 172 for 5, built on a rapid start from openers Muhammad Waseem and Alishan Sharafu. The pair took full advantage of the fielding restrictions, adding quick runs after a cautious start. Sharafu was the aggressor, charging down the track fearlessly and collecting all six of his boundaries within the powerplay. He struck a fluent 51, including a standout six over cover against legspinner Samay Shrivastava.
Waseem, though less fluent, registered a valuable 69 off 54 deliveries. During his innings, he became the fourth-fastest player in T20I history to reach 3000 runs, joining an elite group behind only Mohammad Rizwan, Virat Kohli, and Babar Azam. He capitalized on poor fielding from Oman, who missed two crucial chances to dismiss him early — one at long-on and another at short fine leg.
UAE’s middle order also stepped up, with Harshit Kaushik and Muhammad Zohaib adding a quickfire 40 off 21 balls to push the total well past the par score.
In response, Oman crumbled under pressure during the powerplay. Opener Jatinder Singh provided early hope with a quick 20 off 10 balls, but once he was bowled by Siddique attempting to force the pace, a collapse ensued. Oman lost three wickets in the span of 14 balls and were reduced to 32 for 4 inside the first six overs.
Siddique returned later to snuff out any lingering hopes, picking up two more wickets in the 16th over to finish with career-best figures of 4 for 23. With the chase derailed, Oman were eventually bowled out for 130, falling 42 runs short.
Both teams came into the match looking for their first points in the tournament, but it was UAE who emerged stronger, gaining crucial momentum in the group stage.
Match Summary:
UAE – 172/5 in 20 overs (Waseem 69, Sharafu 51; Ramanandi 2-24)
Oman – 130 all out in 19 overs (Bisht 24; Siddique 4-23)
Result: UAE won by 42 runs