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In the opening game of the T20 World Cup 2021, Oman comprehensively defeated Papua New Guinea (PNG) by 10 wickets at Al Amerat Cricket Ground on Sunday.
Chasing 130, Oman gave no chance to PNG for a comeback and completed the match without losing a wicket in 13.4 overs. Aqib Ilyas and Jatinder Singh formed an unbeaten 131-runs partnership for the opening wicket to start the campaign on a high note.
Both the openers scored their respective half-centuries. While Jatinder top-scored with 73 off 42 deliveries, Illyas made 50 from 43 balls.
Earlier, PNG only managed to post 129/9 on the board in their allotted 20 overs. Captain Assad Vala and middle-order batter Charles Amini were the only run-scorers in PNG innings.
Assad smashed a crucial fifty and scored 56 off 43 balls with the help of seven boundaries. Similarly, Charles chipped in with 37 from 26 deliveries to inspire PNG to reach a respectable total.
Oman skipper Zeeshan Maqsood shined with the ball, picking up a four-wicket haul for just 20 runs in his quota of 4 overs. Apart from Zeeshan, Kaleemullah (2/19) and Bilal Khan (2/16) bagged a couple of scalps.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
4/20 in four overs 👏
Zeeshan Maqsood, take a bow 🙇#T20WorldCup | #OMNvPNG | https://t.co/dYPcIueHIP pic.twitter.com/Y3LidFsqdl
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) October 17, 2021
Jatinder Singh is the T20 World Cup’s style icon. Great celebration too
— Matt Roller (@mroller98) October 17, 2021
Only two sides have won a #T20WorldCup match by 10 wickets… Australia (beat SL in 2007) and South Africa (beat Zim in 2012).#OMAN has now joined this elite list when they beat PNG by 10 wickets at Al Amerat today. #T20WorldCup21 #OMANvsPNG
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) October 17, 2021
Throwaway game for PNG. Their batting was terrible outside of one partnership. Their bowling was worse. They'll be really disappointed, but at least they are here.
— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) October 17, 2021
Commiserations to PNG cricket. They didn't play international cricket for 670 odd days. In the last few weeks, that rustiness is showing.
— Bharath Ramaraj (@Fancricket12) October 17, 2021
Jatinder Singh’s Total Match Impact of +38 today is the highest figure for a non-ICC full member side in T20 World Cup history.#T20WorldCup #OMAvPNG
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) October 17, 2021
Big win for Oman.
Scorecard: https://t.co/OlaJQXOqe1#T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/uhP26pv2RS— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) October 17, 2021
Before today's match, there were only two 10-wicket wins in Men's T20 World Cup, and both of them came exactly five years apart.
20 Sep 2007 – AUS🇦🇺 beat SL🇱🇰 by 10 wickets
20 Sep 2012 – SA🇿🇦 beat ZIM🇿🇼 by 10 wickets#T20WorldCup #OMNvPNG— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) October 17, 2021
Oman beat PNG by 10 wickets, chase down 130 runs from just 13.4 overs with Aqib Ilyas 50*(43) and Jatinder Singh 73*(42) brilliant batting performance helped them to chase down the target with 6.2 overs left. #T20WorldCup
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) October 17, 2021
Jatinder Singh (73*) & Aqib Ilyas (50*) take #Oman home to a marvellous 10 wicket win!! #T20WorldCup
— ThePoppingCrease (@PoppingCreaseSA) October 17, 2021