Match Details
Oman vs Scotland North Sound, 1 pm local time
Big Picture
Scotland is keen to make a mark at the T20 World Cup. Their impressive victory over Namibia at Kensington Oval was overshadowed by other dramatic matches, including USA’s Super Over win against Pakistan and Afghanistan’s domination over New Zealand.
Earlier, Scotland almost toppled England in a rain-affected match. As they prepare to face Oman in Antigua, Scotland stands poised to advance closer to their Super Eight target. Key to their strategy is Saturday’s clash between Australia and England, as Scotland, currently top of the group, aims to secure their position with a win over Oman.
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George Munsey’s all-round performance against England and the collective efforts of Richie Berrington and Michael Leask against Namibia have been pivotal for Scotland. In contrast, Oman’s performance, despite being competitive, has not yielded wins. They forced Namibia into a Super Over and held Australia for 14 overs before faltering. Oman seeks a complete performance to stay alive in the tournament, even if just mathematically, while Scotland looks to maintain their momentum.
Form Guide
Scotland WLWLW Oman LLLWW
In the Spotlight
George Munsey’s proficiency against spin, showcased against England, will be crucial. His ability to play unconventional shots like reverse-sweeps and switch-hits could set the tempo against Oman’s spin-heavy attack.
Kashyap Prajapati, despite a lackluster start, has shown potential with a standout 146 against a Mumbai squad. He needs a big score to validate the team’s trust in him.
Team News
Oman might adjust their top order, struggling with early wickets in both games. Ayaan Khan could see a promotion.
Oman (probable XI): Kashyap Prajapati, Pratik Athvale (wk), Aqib Ilyas (capt), Zeeshan Maqsood, Ayaan Khan, Khalid Kail, Shoaib Khan, Mehran Khan, Shakeel Ahmed, Kaleemullah, Bilal Khan
Scotland has no pressing need for changes and may stick with their winning lineup.
Scotland (probable XI): George Munsey, Michael Jones, Brandon McMullen, Richie Berrington (capt), Matthew Cross (wk), Michael Leask, Chris Greaves, Mark Watt, Chris Sole, Brad Wheal, Brad Currie
Pitch and Conditions
The first game at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium should favor batters, with much of the grass cover on the pitch shaved off.
Stats that Matter
- Scotland has won all four T20I matches against Oman, including a T20 World Cup game in 2021.
- Munsey is 70 runs away from becoming the second Scotland player to reach 2000 T20I runs, after Berrington.
- Maqsood needs two more wickets to join Bilal Khan as the only Oman players with 50 T20I wickets.
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