Scotland pulls off thrilling victory over Ireland while Oman wins second consecutive match
Day 4 of the 2023 ICC World Cup Qualifiers saw a terrific run chase from Scotland against Ireland to usher themselves back in contention while surprise packages Oman made it 2 wins out of 2 with a comfortable win against UAE.
Match 1: UAE vs Oman
Oman was once again dominant in their second match of the World Cup Qualifier. Opting to bowl after winning the toss, Oman got off to another good start. Bilal Khan dismissed UAE captain Muhammad Waseem leg before wicket in the third over, while Fayyaz Butt claimed the wicket of Rohan Mustafa in the subsequent over, caught down the leg side.
UAE’s Vriitya Aravind and Rameez Shahzad then embarked on a rebuilding mission, forging an 87-run partnership. Aravind displayed an aggressive start, taking on the bowling attack, particularly targeting Butt for boundaries. Shahzad, on the other hand, struggled initially, taking ten deliveries to get off the mark. However, soon found rhythm and threatened to take the match away from Oman.
However, Odedra eventually dismissed Shahzad with a sharply spinning delivery that crashed into the stumps. He departed after a decent 38 off 51 balls. Shortly after, Aravind succumbed to Odedra’s spin, getting bowled out for 49 runs.
Basil Hameed contributed with a catch at point off Ayan Khan, whose late flourish allowed UAE to get past the 200-mark. He finished with 58 off just 52 balls, top scoring for his team. The run chase proved straightforward enough for Oman, who rode on half-centuries from Aqib Ilyas, Shoaib Khan, and Mohammed Nadeem.
The partnership between Ilyas and Shoaib proved to be a turning point in Oman’s chase, as they constructed an impressive 100-run stand for the third wicket. However, UAE’s Rohan Mustafa dismissed Ilyas and Zeeshan Maqsood in a three-over period, causing a momentary setback. Additionally, Shoaib, battling cramps, had to retire hurt.
Nevertheless, Ayan Khan and Mohammad Nadeem took charge of the situation, forming a vital 76-run partnership at a run-a-ball pace. Their partnership effectively ensured that UAE could not regain control of the match, leading their side to a comfortable victory. Shoaib ultimately returned to the crease and played a key role in steering his team towards triumph.
Oman will be delighted to win both their games and are currently on top of group B. They will now take on Sri Lanka, who are largely expected to top the group.
Match 2: Ireland vs Scotland
Asked to chase a commanding 286/8, Scotland registered a thrilling victory to open their account for the ICC World Cup Qualifier 2023. Despite losing their seventh wicket in the 34th over, Scotland’s late-order batsmen, led by Michael Leask, orchestrated an incredible turnaround.
In the first innings, Ireland’s innings was rescued by centurion Curtis Campher, who scored 120 runs, and George Dockrell, who contributed 69 runs. After a shaky start, where Ireland found themselves at 33/4, their middle-order partnership helped stabilize the innings. Relying on a late half-century from George Dockrell and valuable contributions from the lower order, the Irish managed to post a challenging 286/8.
Scotland’s fortunes took a downturn after the 25-over mark, with Christopher McBride ensuring that they got off to a good start. However, Josh Little delivered an exceptional spell to regain control for his team. He dismissed Scotland’s captain Richie Berrington and Tomas Mackintosh in quick succession during the 26th and 28th overs respectively.
Following Mackintosh’s dismissal, Scotland needed a mammoth 165 runs to win, with only four wickets remaining. Chris Greaves managed to contribute with a valuable score of 20 runs before falling to George Dockrell in the 34th over. The eighth-wicket partnership between Leask and Mark Watt then became a cause for concern for Ireland. Taking advantage of favorable batting conditions, they scored quickly and added crucial runs to Scotland’s total.
Michael Leask was the obvious star for the 2023 ICC World Cup Qualifier Day 4
Their partnership finally came to an end in the 46th over. Dockrell ended up being stumped off Watt for 47, but the dup had already put up 82 runs off just 67 balls. On the other end, Leask continued his ruthless hitting.
He smashed two sixes and two fours off Josh Little’s bowling in the 47th over, allowing Scotland to accumulate 22 runs. With just 22 runs needed off the remaining three overs, Scotland took 14 runs from the next two overs, inching closer to a memorable victory. When Leask struck a boundary off the first ball of the final over, Scotland required a mere four runs from five deliveries.
However, Ireland managed to regain some control by picking a wicket and conceding only two runs from the next four balls. With the game hanging in the balance, Leask stood at the crease, facing the last delivery with his team needing two runs to win.
In a stroke of luck, Leask managed to get an inside edge that eluded the keeper, allowing Scotland to clinch a hard-fought victory on the final ball of the match.