UAE defeats Oman by 42 runs in Asia Cup Group A clash

The floodlights glowed brightly over Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on September 15, 2025, as the United Arab Emirates took on Oman in a thrilling Group A clash of the Men’s T20 Asia Cup. This day-night showdown was a tale of two halves, UAE’s batsmen set the stage ablaze with a robust 172 for 5, while their bowlers, led by a fiery Junaid Siddique, snuffed out Oman’s hopes, bowling them out for 130 in 18.4 overs. Oman’s decision to bowl first after winning the toss backfired, and UAE’s clinical performance handed them a 42-run victory.

UAE’s Innings

As the UAE openers, Alishan Sharafu and captain Muhammad Waseem, strode to the crease, the air crackled with anticipation. Oman’s left-arm pacer Shakeel Ahmed took the new ball, looking to keep things tight. His first over was disciplined, leaking just a few runs, but Sharafu wasn’t in the mood to hang around. He cracked a gorgeous cover drive for four, signaling his intent to dominate. Waseem, cool and composed, played the perfect foil, rotating the strike and pouncing on anything loose.

🚨 Playing XI 🚨

🗒️ the team sheets are out and two strong line-ups are set to battle in an important game ahead of the Super 4s.#UAEvOMAN #DPWorldAsiaCup2025 #ACC pic.twitter.com/r6VHh2mjdb

— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) September 15, 2025

By the end of the powerplay, UAE had raced to around 50 without loss. The Abu Dhabi crowd roared as Sharafu and Waseem peppered the field with crisp shots, keeping Oman’s bowlers on their toes. Sharafu, in particular, was a joy to watch, his footwork precise, his timing sublime. He smashed seven fours and a massive six, racing to a stylish fifty. But just when it seemed he would bat through, Jiten Ramanandi struck in the 11th over, clean-bowling him for 51 off 38 balls. The 88-run opening stand, which had lasted 10.6 overs, was broken, and Oman finally had a breakthrough.

Asif Khan walked in at No. 3, but the momentum dipped. He struggled to get going, scratching out just 2 runs off 5 balls before Samay Shrivastava sent his stumps flying in the 13th over. UAE were 96 for 2 after 12.6 overs, and the pressure was on. Waseem, however, stood tall. The captain mixed grit with flair, anchoring the innings while picking off boundaries, six fours and three sixes in all. His 69 off 54 balls was a masterclass in pacing a T20 innings, keeping UAE on track for a big total.

Muhammad Zohaib joined Waseem and brought fresh energy. He didn’t waste time, hammering two fours and a six in a brisk 21 off 13 balls. Their 49-run stand for the third wicket pushed UAE past 100 and kept the run rate ticking over. But Oman fought back, Zohaib was caught off Ramanandi in the 18th over, leaving UAE at 145 for 3 after 17.5 overs. Enter Harshit Kaushik, who lit up the death overs with a cameo that had the crowd buzzing. His unbeaten 19 off 8 balls, including a four and two sixes, gave UAE the late surge they needed.

The final over was pure drama. Waseem, trying to steal a quick single, was run out for 69 in the 20th over, leaving UAE at 171 for 4 after 19.3 overs. Rahul Chopra, the wicketkeeper, followed immediately, caught off Hassnain Shah for a duck off one ball. Dhruv Parashar squeezed a single off the last ball to finish not out on 1, and UAE closed at 172 for 5. Extras chipped in with 9 runs, 1 leg bye and 8 wides, thanks to some wayward bowling from Oman.

Leading by example 🫡

Skipper Muhammad Waseem anchored 🇦🇪 innings with a well-timed 6️⃣9️⃣. 🙌#UAEvOMAN #DPWorldAsiaCup2025 #ACC pic.twitter.com/TDkuiznzxZ

— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) September 15, 2025

Oman’s bowlers had their moments but lacked consistency. Ramanandi was the star, snaring 2 for 24 in his 4 overs, including the big wickets of Sharafu and Zohaib. Shrivastava picked up 1 for 38, and Shah took 1 for 34, but Shakeel Ahmed stood out for his control, conceding just 16 runs in 3 overs without a wicket. Shah Faisal, however, had a tough day, leaking 45 runs in 4 overs, while Aamir Kaleem’s single over cost 14. UAE’s batsmen capitalized on Oman’s fielding lapses and wides, finishing with a run rate of 8.60. The innings had 22 boundaries, 15 fours and 7 sixes, setting a daunting target of 173. Sharafu’s 51 earned him Player of the Match.

Oman’s Innings

Oman’s chase of 173 required 8.65 runs per over, a tall order against UAE’s disciplined attack. Openers Jatinder Singh, the captain, and Aamir Kaleem stepped up, but Junaid Siddique had other plans. The fiery pacer struck in the first over, getting Kaleem caught by Harshit Kaushik for 2 off 2 balls. Oman were 7 for 1 after just 0.5 overs, and the tone was set. Singh, undeterred, went on the attack, smashing four boundaries in a quickfire 20 off 10 balls. But Siddique wasn’t done as he bowled Singh in the third over, leaving Oman at 23 for 2 after 2.2 overs.

Things went from bad to worse. Wasim Ali, in at No. 3, lasted just 2 balls, trapped lbw by Haider Ali for 1. A review couldn’t save him, and Oman were 28 for 3 after 3.1 overs. Hammad Mirza tried to dig in but fell for 5 off 7 balls, caught by Dhruv Parashar off Muhammad Rohid in the fifth over. At 32 for 4 after 4.3 overs, Oman’s chase was unraveling fast. Shah Faisal hit a six in his 9 off 12 balls, but he too fell, caught by Waseem off Haider Ali in the seventh over. The powerplay ended with Oman at 41 for 4, miles behind the required rate.

Aryan Bisht and Vinayak Shukla offered a glimmer of hope. Bisht played a steady hand, scoring 24 off 32 balls with two fours, while Shukla chipped in with 20 off 17, also hitting two fours. Their 38-run stand for the sixth wicket took Oman to 74 for 5 by the drinks break at 10 overs. But the revival was short-lived, Bisht was bowled by Muhammad Jawadullah in the 13th over, leaving Oman at 88 for 6 after 12.5 overs.

Jiten Ramanandi swung hard, scoring 13 off 9 balls with two fours, but Jawadullah struck again, getting him caught by Sharafu in the 15th over. Oman were 104 for 7 after 14.5 overs. Shukla’s resistance ended soon after, caught by Jawadullah off Siddique for 20, making it 108 for 8 after 15.2 overs. Hassnain Shah’s stay was brief, a 3-ball duck, bowled by Siddique in the 16th over, left Oman at 110 for 9. Shakeel Ahmed fought bravely, finishing not out on 14 off 10 balls with a four and a six. Samay Shrivastava added 6 off 8 balls, but a sharp run-out by Waseem in the 19th over ended Oman’s innings at 130 all out after 18.4 overs. Extras contributed 16 runs, 3 leg byes and 13 wides but it wasn’t enough.

UAE’s bowlers were amazing. Siddique was the wrecker-in-chief, taking 4 for 23 in 4 overs, dismissing Singh, Kaleem, Shukla, and Shah. Jawadullah backed him up with 2 for 18 in 3 overs, while Haider Ali grabbed 2 for 22. Muhammad Rohid took 1 for 27, and though Parashar (0 for 14) and Kaushik (0 for 23) went wicketless, they kept the screws tight. Oman’s batsmen couldn’t cope, reaching 50 in 6.4 overs but limping to 100 in the 15th over. Their run rate of 6.96 was nowhere near enough, with Bisht (24) and Singh (20) the only notable contributors.

UAE cruise to a comfortable victory ✌️

Shephered by Waseem & Sharafu's big hitting knocks & led by an all-round bowling attack, 🇦🇪 march on to a massive win. 💪#UAEvOMAN #DPWorldAsiaCup2025 #ACC pic.twitter.com/3LuZ0taT07

— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) September 15, 2025

UAE’s victory earned them 2 points, boosting their net run rate to -2.030 after two matches. Oman, still searching for a win, stayed at 0 points with a net run rate of -3.375. UAE’s all-round brilliance of Waseem’s batting, Siddique’s bowling, and sharp fielding proved too much for Oman, whose early collapse derailed their chase.

TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game

The match’s defining moment came early, as UAE’s openers Alishan Sharafu and Muhammad Waseem lit up the stadium with an electrifying 88-run partnership. This stand, lasting until the 10.6th over, was TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game. Sharafu, striking at 134.21, blazed 51 off 38 balls, his seven fours and a six thrilling the crowd.

Caution 🔁 Aggression

Alishan Sharafu's calculated yet aggressive knock of 5️⃣1️⃣ set up a platform for his side to build on.#UAEvOMAN #DPWorldAsiaCup2025 #ACC pic.twitter.com/l99HCHRaGo

— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) September 15, 2025

Waseem, the captain, played the anchor with flair, scoring 69 off 54 balls at 127.77, with six fours and three sixes. Their partnership set UAE on course for 172 for 5, shrugging off Oman’s bowlers like Ramanandi (2 for 24) and Shrivastava (1 for 38). Even as wickets fell later, Asif Khan (2) and Zohaib (21), the openers’ fireworks laid the foundation for victory.

TCNI’s Hero of the Day

Junaid Siddique was the heartbeat of UAE’s triumph, earning TCNI’s Hero of the Day for his blistering 4 for 23 in 4 overs. His spell, with an economy of 5.75, tore through Oman’s batting, triggering a collapse they never recovered from.

Spectacular Siddique! 🤩

Junaid Siddique was at his brutal best tonight, delivering a pace bowling masterclass en route his 4️⃣ wicket haul. 👏⚡️#UAEvOMAN #DPWorldAsiaCup2025 #ACC pic.twitter.com/I4zakGsqch

— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) September 15, 2025

Siddique struck early, removing Aamir Kaleem (2) and Jatinder Singh (20) in the powerplay, and later cleaned up Vinayak Shukla (20) and Hassnain Shah (0). His 13 dot balls and just two boundaries conceded kept Oman on a leash. With Oman bowled out for 130, Siddique’s fiery performance sealed UAE’s 42-run win, cementing his status as the match’s hero.