Australia’s Dominating Victory over Oman in T20 World Cup; All-rounder Marcus Stoinis Shines
Marcus Stoinis and David Warner rescued Australia from a precarious position to secure a 39-run victory over a spirited Oman side on a challenging Barbados pitch.
David Warner’s Experience Also Revives Innings After Sluggish Start in T20 World Cup 2024 Opener.
Australia defeated Oman 125 for 9 (Ayaan 36, Stoinis 3-19) by 39 runs with 164 for 5 (Stoinis 67*, Warner 56, Mehran 2-38).
They were 50 for 3 when Glenn Maxwell, continuing his horrific run at the bat, fell for a golden duck. For a moment, fears about what might happen took over, but Stoinis and Warner added 102 off 64 balls to make sure Australia would not falter early in their pursuit of ICC championships in all three formats.
After being dropped at number nine, Stoinis hit six sixes to reverse a slow start, with Oman’s bowlers applying pressure to their elite opponents for a total of fourteen overs. Warner, who rose to become Australia’s top run scorer in men’s T20 internationals, had to put in a lot of effort, but he made use of his background to finish the innings.
After that, Australia were mainly effective with the ball. Mitchell Starc opened the innings with a low, inswinging full toss; he was subsequently unable to finish his spell due to cramps, but he was still able to leave the field – and Stoinis added three more wickets to cap off a fantastic day for Australia. After Pat Cummins was rested, Nathan Ellis was chosen, and he took a wicket in his opening over to record his first World Cup victory.
This was far from a one-way contest for the better part of Australia’s innings. On a slippery pitch, scoring proved difficult. Following the powerplay, Australia’s total of 37 for 1 was their lowest in the previous 15 Twenty20 Internationals, going all the way back to the T20 World Cup.
Head started off with a well-executed cover drive, but timing proved to be difficult for both him and Warner. Head then lifted Bilal Khan’s spirits with a drive in the middle of the match, following his disappointing Super Over loss against Namibia.
Before choosing up long-on, Mitchell Marsh was unable to get going. This was Oman’s huge break. After a 5.77 average in the IPL, Maxwell drove at the first ball from Mehran Khan, and Oman skipper Aqib Ilyas made a sensational catch diving full length to his left at cover. In ten T20 innings, Maxwell’s duck was his sixth.
Although Stoinis made it through the hat-trick ball, Australia did not immediately feel less strain. They were down to 56 for 3 after ten overs, and the next two overs yielded just seven more runs. Warner started to unshackle himself by hitting successive boundaries off Zeeshan Maqsood, but after that, it was just a matter of what could have happened for Oman.
Read More: Australia Clinches T20 World Cup Triumph with Stellar Performances by Marsh and Warner
On 9, wicketkeeper Pratik Athavale was unable to gather a spinning delivery from Ilyas that Stoinis edged; it was difficult but not impossible. Ayaan Khan may have paid the price for not being precisely on the rope at long-off when he held a decent catch but was unable to stop his backward momentum from carrying him into the boundary two balls into Mehran’s next over. Following his first of four sixes in the over, Stoinis blasted his way to a half-century off of just 27 balls. Australia scored 80 runs in its first 14 overs, and 84 in its final six.
Ricky Ponting praised Warner’s winning mentality prior to this game, saying it was just what the World Cup needed as Warner wraps up his international career. Though he was unable to progress through the gears as quickly as Stoinis, he did surpass previous captain Aaron Finch to top Australia’s run-scoring statistics in the format before reaching a 46-ball fifty.
As a broadcaster on the ground, Finch savored the occasion. After being fired, he had one regrettable incident when he unintentionally began to enter the Oman changing room before being stopped.
There was always a chance that 165 would be beyond Oman. Though Australia needed the DRS to get the lbw ruling, Starc’s opening over was a bit of a mixed bag as he pinned Athavale leg before wicket with a low full toss that struck the toe. When Ilyas was given out by Starc, Oman was thankful for the review system; nonetheless, Joel Wilson’s on-field call appeared to be subpar.
After Ilyas put Stoinis on a deep square leg for a six, Matthew Wade was edged out by a raising delivery two balls later. In a men’s T20 World Cup encounter, Stoinis became just the third player—after Shane Watson and Dwayne Bravo—to score fifty runs and claim three wickets. But Oman didn’t give up easily either, as Ayaan gave them a few late bursts of aggression with two sixes off Adam Zampa and Mehran made sure they could get 100 and finish the innings.
