Oman need their youngsters to punch above their weight

vs Zimbabwe in Colombo, February 9
vs Sri Lanka in Pallekele, February 12
vs Ireland in Colombo, February 14
vs Australia in Pallekele, February 20

For long, Oman's batting has revolved around Jatinder Singh and Aqib Ilyas. In recent months, though, there have been encouraging signs of others beginning to shoulder responsibility. Hammad Mirza, who memorably took on Kuldeep Yadav in Abu Dhabi in the 2025 Asia Cup, is viewed as a high-upside prospect, while Karan Sonavale offers similar intent up top. The unanswered question, though, is whether this emerging group can summon the composure and clarity required in high-pressure scenarios against quality opponents.

With the ball, spin is clearly Oman's trump card. They can deploy at least three frontline fingerspinners in Wasim Ali, Shakeel Ahmed and Ashish Odedara, complemented by the wristspin of Nadeem Khan. If the Sri Lankan surfaces are dry and offer turn, this attack could make Oman more than a handful.

Oman, however, have had limited match exposure since the T20 World Cup East Asia Pacific Qualifiers in October. And unlike their counterparts in the UAE or the USA - where several national players get opportunities in the ILT20 and MLC respectively - or in Nepal - buoyed by the roaring success of the NPL - Omani cricketers have largely had to rely on training camps and their own domestic set-up, featuring two T20 leagues.

Oman have also played a series of practice matches in Sri Lanka and put themselves through a demanding conditioning camp under head coach Duleep Mendis. His familiarity with the conditions and local knowledge could prove invaluable in the weeks ahead.

Oman were last in action at the T20 World Cup Asia & EAP Qualifiers at home in October. They won five of their six matches to seal qualification for the main tournament, with their only defeat coming against Nepal. Before that, they endured a winless Asia Cup campaign, losing all three group games, including to UAE. Still, there were positives to cling on to, most notably a spirited showing against India in Abu Dhabi.

At 44, Aamir Kaleem has earned an unlikely recall as a replacement for the injured Hassnain Shah a day prior to the squad's departure, making him the oldest player in the competition. Until recently Oman's national Under-19 coach, Kaleem was drafted back into the senior set-up ahead of last year's Asia Cup in the UAE on the back of strong domestic performances. He justified the call-up with a half-century against India and has continued to press his case in the build-up to this edition as well.

A lower-order batter who bowls left-arm wristspin, Nadeem Khan was central to Oman's qualification from the EAP Qualifiers. On a sluggish pitch where runs were hard to come by, his unbeaten 30 off 16 balls clinched a tense win over UAE with two deliveries to spare. A defeat there could have seriously jeopardised Oman's chances. Nadeem also picked up 11 wickets, joint third-most in the tournament.

Two years ago, Kaleem and Jatinder Singh might not have imagined themselves playing this tournament. Now they arrive with an opportunity to build on gains from last year's Asia Cup. By the time the next edition comes around, Kaleem will be 46 and Jatinder 38. They may still be part of Oman's journey then, perhaps from the dugout rather than the middle. But never say never.

1 Jatinder Singh (capt), 2 Aamir Kaleem, 3 Hammad Mirza, 4 Karan Sonavale, 5 Wasim Ali, 6 Vinayak Shukla (wk), 7 Jiten Ramanandi, 8 Nadeem Khan, 9 Shah Faisal, 10 Shakeel Ahmad, 11 Jay Odedra