Oman Skipper Ilyas Blames Batting Woes for Heavy Defeat to England

Oman captain Aqib Ilyas acknowledged his team’s batting failures as the key reason behind their crushing eight-wicket defeat to England in the T20 World Cup 2024 encounter at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Top-Order Struggles Plague Oman Throughout Tournament

Speaking after the match, Ilyas expressed disappointment at his batsmen’s inability to deliver throughout the tournament. “We couldn’t do well with the bat. Top order couldn’t score runs throughout the tournament,” he lamented. He pinpointed the lack of runs at the top as the root cause of their struggles.

Ilyas also highlighted the difficulty his batsmen faced against England‘s express pace attack. “It was good exposure but there wasn’t much we could do. With no runs on the board, the bowlers didn’t have a chance. We’re used to playing bowlers that bowl in the 130-140kph range in associate cricket. So it’s difficult when once in a year you play against bowlers bowling 150+, there is something in your mind. It’s a different thing when you’re used to playing such bowlers,” he explained. 

The significant jump in bowling speed compared to the associate circuit clearly exposed Oman’s batsmen.

Pressure Builds After String of Low Scores

Ilyas further elaborated on the pressure his batsmen faced due to their lack of runs in the preceding matches. “The batters were also under pressure having not got runs in the last few games. Unfortunately bad shot selection and they bowled in good areas. You can’t blame the bowlers for anything, throughout the tournament they’re the ones that did really well,” he said. The skipper acknowledged the bowlers’ efforts but admitted that the batting woes ultimately cost them the match.

While the defeat was undoubtedly a setback, Ilyas expressed his desire to learn from the experience. “Would have liked to finish on a great note,” he concluded. Oman will be looking to analyse their shortcomings and come back stronger in future tournaments.

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