(AP Photo)
Oman’s captain, Aqib Ilyas, radiated assurance during his press briefing before the T20 World Cup 2024 match against Australia. Ilyas confidently asserted that his team wouldn’t be intimidated by the formidable players representing Australia, a nation boasting eight cricket world titles across various formats.
Despite Oman’s loss in the recent match against Australia in Barbados, they put up a resilient fight. Ilyas later criticized the media for focusing solely on the downsides highlighted during his press conference, suggesting a biased portrayal of the event.
“The thing with the media is that they don’t show the positive things we said about them (Australia), they only show the negatives,” Ilyas said when asked about his comments on not being overwhelmed by Australia. “Obviously they’re top players, we respect them as cricketers like we respect everyone, but when we come out on to the field no one is bigger than you.”
Oman made the strategic decision to bowl first, effectively containing Australia’s aggressive batting lineup. The trio of Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, and Glenn Maxwell, known for their powerful hitting, were subdued, while David Warner’s composed fifty (56 off 51) and a blistering unbeaten 67 from Marcus Stoinis guided Australia to a respectable 164/5 in their allotted 20 overs.
Despite Australia’s challenging total, Oman struggled to mount a significant response. Losing wickets at regular intervals, they failed to establish substantial partnerships, ultimately finishing their chase at 125/9.
Prior to the match, Ilyas had emphasized that Oman approached the game with a mindset of treating it as ‘just another match’.
“Once you step into the field, there is no big name, there is no one bigger than you at the field. It’s another game for us and we don’t think that we are going to play someone extraordinary,” Ilyas had said.
“I don’t have to go and tell them as a captain that you are going to face (Mitchell) Starc. Already it comes to your mind when you are playing some top bowlers or top cricketers. So it’s been very positive from the management [and] also from the coach, he said we don’t even take their names – it’s just a team that has come and still they are at the same level what we are doing. We have also qualified, they have also qualified, one team is going to be the champion so it doesn’t make much difference, though we respect them and) what they have (achieved) in the past. That is why they are named as world champions,” he added.
