Scotland bowlers smother Oman, storm to T20I Quad Series title

A wicket-maiden by Alasdair Evans to open the match was followed by a pair of three-fors to debutant seamer Adrian Neill and left-arm spinner Mark Watt as Scotland rolled Oman for 111 before chasing down the target with 27 balls to spare in a seven-wicket win.

The speed of the victory allowed Scotland to claim the tournament title after leapfrogging Netherlands and Ireland on net run rate with all three teams level on two wins.

After being sent in to bat, Oman experimented with their order by promoting Naseem Khushi to open in an effort to spark them following a sluggish start in their previous loss to the Netherlands. But the move backfired as Khushi failed to get the ball away off the first five deliveries from Evans before a charge down the pitch resulted in Evans dragging the length back and a pull being sent to Michael Leask at deep square leg.

Wasim Ali was run out to end the second over after being caught ball-watching when Jatinder Singh pushed to mid-on for a run to make it 2 for 2. The 6'9" Neill was given the ball for the first time in the fourth and struck on his second ball as Jatinder dragged a drive onto his stumps for 2, setting the stage for his Man of the Match performance. Neill claimed his second in his next over when Khurram Nawaz pulled him to George Munsey at deep square leg as Oman ended the Powerplay at 17 for 4.

Watt put his stamp on the middle overs once more as Oman captain Ajay Lalcheta top edged to Neill at short fine leg in the 10th. Sufyan Mehmood walked too far across his stumps trying to flick through the leg side and was given leg before in the 14th. Watt rounded off his tournament-best seven wickets with his final ball of the day, beating Mohammad Nadeem on a sweep for his second lbw decision of the day to make it 76 for 7 after 16.

Sandeep Goud brought some respectability to the Oman innings with a late flourish, carving Safyaan Sharif over backward point for six before scooping him over fine leg for four in the 19th, eventually ending on 31 not out off 19 balls. A mix-up with Bilal Khan in the final over when Goud wanted two to keep strike allowed Watt's relay to account for Bilal and end the innings with three balls unused.

Scotland had an uncharacteristically nervy start to the chase as Munsey and Kyle Coetzer were bowled by Nadeem on mistimed drives while Matthew Cross drove Bilal to short extra cover for 10 to make it 42 for 3 one ball into the eighth. Calum MacLeod got off the mark with an inside-edged four off Bilal that just missed the stumps and also survived a strong lbw appeal to the same bowler not long after.

Vice-captain Richie Berrington extinguished any remaining hopes Oman had of pulling off an upset, clattering an unbeaten 47 off 29 balls as part of an unbroken 73-run partnership with MacLeod.

A Berrington drive over extra cover for six off Wasim's left-arm spin brought up the 50 stand and another straight six off Nadeem took Scotland within one shot of victory. After a single by MacLeod leveled the scores, Berrington drove Wasim for his sixth four through extra cover to deliver Scotland the title.

The two sides will play a series of three 50-over matches at the same venue beginning on Tuesday.