Oman eye Twenty20 World Cup spot

Dubai - Giant killers must overcome the talented Namibian team today.

Four sides, including Oman, have the last chance of qualifying for the International Cricket Council Twenty20 World Cup in India in 2016, when they meet in playoffs in Dublin, on Thursday.
In the first game, 2014 qualifying tournament runners-up Afghanistan take on Papua New Guinea (PNG), the fourth placed finisher of Group A. The Afghans lost to Hong Kong in the first of the cross-over playoffs on Tuesday morning. The second playoff in the evening sees giantkillers Oman, the fourth placed squad in Group B, take on talented Namibia who lost to the Netherlands on Tuesday.
Notching fine wins over established sides has become a habit for Oman who were rank outsiders when the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier-2015 began in Scotland, joint hosts with Ireland, on July 9. The semis of the qualifiers take place on Saturday, and the final on Sunday.
The Gulf side has now taken up the role of championing the challenge from the region after the UAE who entered the 2014 Twenty20 World Cup in Bangladesh, lost their way during the group phase of the ongoing qualifying championship. Oman lost to Kenya in their opening match by just seven runs, but ever since, they did not look back by notching wins against Canada, the Netherlands and Afghanistan. The Omanis were actually in a position once to hit the top of Group B which contained the tougher sides overall compared to Group A.
Oman's memorable moments started with their shock victory over the Dutch in Group B. Munis Ansari with his raw pace took 4-15 while Jatinder Singh hit an unbeaten 65 off 56 balls as Oman chased down a 136-run target with an over to spare and six wickets in the bag.
Against Afghanistan, they were even more impressive. A collective batting effort took the team to 144-7, and Zeeshan Maqsood (4-23) and Mehran Khan (4-24) then combined to bowl the Afghans out for 104.
Match winner Aamir Kaleem's high quality left-arm spin baffled many during Oman's victorious ACC T20 Cup campaign in January but he has to be more consistent with his line and length and could prove to be a trump card today on the damp Malahide Cricket Club wicket which tends to take turn in the second innings.
The think tank guided by the astute former Sri Lankan great Duleep Mendis who is the Oman national team coach, has former England medium pacer Derek Pringle as advisor for the qualifying tournament.
Namibia aiming to qualify for their first World T20 after a disappointing exit from the qualifier tournament in 2012 lost to the Dutch side on Tuesday in the second fixture of the cross-over playoffs.
The African representatives with part timers mostly, have been prolific when their batting cylinders have fired properly. Namibia openers Stephan Baard and Gerry Snyman have been pillars that have given them the stability so far.
Baard is the leading run-scorer in the tournament with 243 runs at an average of 60.75 and Snyman is in fourth place with 192 runs at 32.00.
They have two half-centuries each, but the other batters too have to come to the front, at least more consistently, to make the Namibians realise their true potential.
moni@khaleejtimes.com

• Oman