The Pakistani squad started their journey in the Asia Cup 2025 impressively, securing a substantial 93-run victory against Oman during their Group A match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday. Thanks to a dynamic half-century by Mohammad Haris coupled with a cohesive bowling performance, the Green Shirts established their presence early in the competition.
Mohammad Haris stabilizes Pakistan innings
Upon winning the coin toss, Pakistan chose to bat first but faced initial trouble as the opening batsman, Saim Ayub, was dismissed without scoring. His teammate Sahibzada Farhan fortified the innings, scoring a careful 29 off 29 deliveries; however, Mohammad Haris captured attention. The right-handed batsman delivered a striking performance, racking up 66 runs from only 43 balls, which included seven boundaries and three sixes, guaranteeing that Pakistan continued to accumulate runs in spite of frequent losses of wickets.
Fakhar Zaman added a quick 23 from 16 balls, and contributions later on from Mohammad Nawaz (19 off 10) and Faheem Ashraf (8 off 4) helped push the total to 160/7 over 20 overs. Oman’s bowling squad, especially Faisal Shah and the experienced Aamir Kaleem, demonstrated controlled bowling. Both secured three wickets each, with Faisal concluding at 3/34 and Kaleem at 3/31. Shakeel Ahmed managed to keep the run rate down, allowing only 17 runs across his four overs but didn’t claim any wickets.
Also WATCH: Shah Faisal takes the wicket of Saim Ayub for no score in PAK vs OMN Asia Cup 2025 match
Oman falters under pressure
When attempting to chase the challenging 161 target, Oman’s innings struggled to gain momentum. They consistently lost wickets and were eventually bowled out for 67 runs in just 16.4 overs. Only Hammad Mirza displayed some resilience with a determined 27 off 23 balls, featuring three boundaries and a six. Kaleem also contributed 13, but no other batsmen could defend against Pakistan’s persistent bowling.
Shakeel held on towards the end with a measured 10 off 23 balls, but Oman’s downfall was inevitable. A total of six of their batsmen failed to make it past single digits, underscoring the challenges they faced against superior bowling on a conducive pitch. Pakistan’s bowlers showed great precision. The left-arm spinner, Sufiyan Muqeem, stood out, taking 2/7 over three overs, and Faheem also made an impact with 2/6.
The young Ayub, surprisingly stepping in to bowl, impressed everyone with his spin bowling, ending with figures of 2/8. Shaheen Afridi made the initial breakthrough, utilizing his pace and swing effectively, and finished with 1/20 in his four overs. Abrar Ahmed and Nawaz both took a wicket each, leaving no room for Oman’s batsmen to recover. Haris’s aggressive batting was a game-changer, providing the foundation for Pakistan’s significant victory. His talent for rotating the strike and speeding up the run rate during critical moments earned him the Player of the Match award.
Mohammad Haris received the Player of the Match recognition 🏆#MohammadHaris #AsiaCup pic.twitter.com/YCtWkybH1F
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) September 12, 2025
Also WATCH: Aamir Kaleem executes a great catch to dismiss Sahibzada Farhan during the PAK versus OMN Asia Cup 2025 match
