It may be a year later than planned, and in conditions relatively unfamiliar to some, but the long-awaited T20 World Cup finally gets underway, with Oman and Papua New Guinea up against each other in the tournament opener.
With an exotic kit depicting the heritage of the nation, PNG have already bagged the award for the most attractive kit in the tournament. Playing their first ever ICC competition, the players understand what is at the stake.
They became the first Associate nation to qualify after defeating Kenya in 2019. Then the pandemic arrived, bringing the whole world to a screeching halt. And the Barramundis, like the rest of the world, too suffered. There was no practice session for over a year. They remained in touch with their colleagues over workout videos shared via an instant messaging app.
In between, Joe Dawes, the head coach who was at the helm when PNG qualified, stepped down, and was succeeded by Carl Sandri. The last few months in Oman have not been smooth for him, as PNG have lost the last 10 games and both warm-up matches, against Namibia and Sri Lanka.
Batting has been a problem for them. Barring captain Assad Vala, none of them has been consistent. Vala is a handy spinner as well, capable of sneaking in an over or two. Tony Ura has blown hot and cold. PNG are known for sharp fielding, but even that has come under scrutiny of late, especially when Jaskaran Malhotra was reprieved four times en route his century.
Oman will have the obvious advantage of playing in front of the home crowd. They are a well-balanced side with a real chance of qualifying for the next round. They defeated the Mumbai T20 side (not to be confused with Mumbai Indians) 2-1 last month, and fought well against Sri Lanka.
Against Sri Lanka, their incredible batting depth was visible, with wicketkeeper Naseem Khushi coming to bat at No. 7. The opening pair of Kashyap Prajapati and Jatinder Singh are followed by robust middle order. Zeeshan Maqsood, the skipper, has been the most consistent run-getter.
Probable XIs
Oman: Zeeshan Maqsood (c), Naseem Khushi (wk), Jatinder Singh, Aqib Ilyas, Mohammad Nadeem, Ayan Khan, Sandeep Goud, Kaleemullah, Kashyap Prajapati, Fayyaz Butt, Khawar Ali
Papua New Guinea: Assad Vala (c), Simon Atai, Tony Ura, Charles Amini, Sese Bau, Kiplin Doriga (wk), Nosaina Pokana, Damien Ravu, Chad Soper, Norman Vanua, Jason Kila, Kabua Morea, Hiri Hiri, Gaudi Toka, Lega Siaka
Fantasy Tips
- Vala is one PNG player you can't afford to miss. The whole batting order is built around him, and Vala delivers more often than not.
- Vanua is likely to be match-ready for the opening game, and he is another player you can bet on.
- From Oman, Maqsood, Ilyas and Kaleemullah are must-haves for your side.