Pakistan Skipper Confident Of Beating India After Strong Win Over Oman

Pakistan captain Salman Agha expressed strong confidence in his team's ability to defeat India in their high-stakes Asia Cup Group A match on Sunday, following a commanding 93-run victory over Oman on Friday. Agha emphasised that consistent execution of their game plan could see Pakistan overcome any opponent, including archrivals India. "We have been playing good cricket in the last 2-3 months, and we just have to play good cricket. If we can execute our plans for a long enough period, we are good enough to beat any team," he stated, highlighting the momentum from the win as they gear up for the marquee encounter.

Opting to bat first, Pakistan posted 160 for 7 in their 20 overs, powered by Mohammad Haris's explosive 66 off 43 balls, featuring seven fours and three sixes. The innings provided a solid foundation despite Agha's admission that they could have aimed for around 180 on the pitch. In response, Oman's batting collapsed to 67 all out in 16.4 overs, with Saim Ayub, Faheem Ashraf, and Sufiyan Muqeem each claiming two wickets. Agha praised the bowling attack, particularly the spinners, noting their variety and effectiveness on UAE pitches. "With the bowling, it was outstanding. The spinners bowled really well. Shaheen, in his second spell, and Faheem also bowled well. When you come to the UAE, you need to have a lot of spinners," he said.

Haris, named Player of the Match, reflected on the challenging conditions, saying the pitch appeared flat initially but proved tricky during their batting. He credited his aggressive approach, honed over five to six years in international cricket and the Pakistan Super League (PSL), for his knock. "That was what I was doing for the last 5-6 years for Pakistan and in the PSL. That is what I like. The skipper also told us to be aggressive," Haris added, underscoring the team's strategy of positive intent.

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Oman captain Jatinder Singh took pride in his side's bowling effort that restricted Pakistan to 160 but acknowledged room for improvement in their batting. "The way the boys bowled and fielded, they were bang on target. They executed the plan; they were 10/10. "Our team is a lot better than what we performed today," he said. Looking ahead to their next match, Jatinder urged his players to stay present-focused and play positive cricket, regardless of the opposition.

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