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Champion team Australia are set to take on Oman in Match 10 of the T20 World Cup 2024. The contest will be held at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.
Interestingly, this game will take place at the same venue where a rain-affected match between England and Scotland was abandoned eventually due to excessive rain just a day ago.
Australia’s mixed results in warm-up matches
Australia have had mixed results in their warm-up matches leading up to the tournament. They easily defeated Namibia in their first game but suffered a defeat against co-hosts West Indies in a high-scoring encounter. These performances have shown Australia’s capability but also highlighted areas for improvement.
Oman’s recent form
Oman, on the other hand, endured a heartbreaking Super-Over defeat to Namibia a couple of days ago. Despite this setback, they will look to be at their absolute best to compete against the formidable Australian side, which are riding high on confidence after recent performances.
Also READ: 3 players from Australia who featured in the 2022 T20 World Cup but won’t play in the 2024 edition
AUS vs OMN: Probable playing XI:
Australia: Travis Head, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh (c), Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis (wk), Tim David, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa
Oman: Kashyap Prajapati, Naseem Khushi(w), Aqib Ilyas(c), Zeeshan Maqsood, Khalid Kail, Ayaan Khan, Mohammad Nadeem, Mehran Khan, Shakeel Ahmed, Kaleemullah, Bilal Khan
Aqib Ilyas’s bold claim
Ahead of the match, Oman skipper Aqib Ilyas has encouraged his team not to be intimidated by the star-studded Australian lineup. Highlighting his respect for the “Australian mindset” and their strong track record in major events, Ilyas believed that the uncertainty surrounding the unexpectedly dry pitches in West Indies could work in their favour.
“With the Australian team, they used to have a few players with good techniques in the past like Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. But I don’t think they have many now. They look to hit big. They only try to go for sixes,” Ilyas said in the pre-match press conference.
“On a slower track with good quality spinners, the only thing we need to do is play with a big heart and put the ball in the right areas, because the ball doesn’t know how big (a reputation) the batter (has). If it turns a bit or it stays low, the batter is in trouble,” Ilyas concluded.
Barbados weather forecast:
The weather forecast for Barbados will remain mostly dry day with only a 10% chance of rain. Expect significant cloud cover throughout the day, contributing to a high humidity level of around 75%. Temperatures are anticipated to reach a warm 31 degrees Celsius, making it essential to stay hydrated. Additionally, the wind is expected to become more noticeable, potentially picking up to speeds of 29 km/h. These conditions suggest a day that will feel hot and humid, with a slight breeze providing some relief.
