By Grockle
October 8 2025

Well here we are in the heat of Muscat  up in the mountains of Al Amerat at 10 am in 33 degree heat watching the momentous first meeting (I believe) between the men of Oman and the men of Samoa.  Very proud (and very long) anthem from the men from the South Seas and they are batting first in what must be pretty dry conditions for them.  Google maps had fun finding the stadium and I've been here before!!3 from 11 o

South East Asia/Pacific T20 WC Regional Qualifiers 2026

I have been meaning to come back and have a look at the Al Amerat stadium.  I last saw it in March/April 2018 when the pavilion had been completed but other than that it was 2 green circles and not a lot else.  The floodlights were up but that was about it.  However in 2021 the UAE had issues after Covid and the Omanis offered to cater for the qualifying rounds of the World Cup and created a 12,000 seater stadium in the same place.  it is now somewhere between those 2 versions as I assume temporary seating will take up most of the space if there is a game that the 'not so cricket minded' Omani public might want to come and see (they just gave India a run for their money in the Asia Cup.

Any way here we are for a 9 nation tournament to decide the THREE sides gaining automatic qualification for the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.  The participants are;

Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE (Gulf), PNG, Nepal (rest of SE Asia), Malaysia, Japan, Samoa (Pacific)

There is a 'League' stage with 3 groups of 3 playing each other to determine the top 2 in each trio. Then, after a day off there is a 'Super 6' series where A,B,C 1&2 all play each other and the top 3 go to India.

Lots to play for in a country that is pretty unaware that this is going on.  I got some very strange looks this morning as I went for breakfast in full cricket regalia!!

Game 1 Oman v Samoa - Turf 1 Al Amerat Oman Wednesday 8 October 2025

The first game for the home side who must have high hopes of reaching another T20 World Cup.  They are in a trio with their opponents this morning and Papua New Guinea.  The 10 am morning start must compete with the 7:30 evening spot as the best because the heat has not yet built up.  The 2pm fixture must be the hardest one I would imagine

I have little info on the men of Samoa except that they very proudly sang their very long national anthem and there are some Caucasians in their line-up but not a lot of Asian players from a first impression.  It is curious where the Island nations collect their cricketers, one would imagine the Australasian and South African links would be strongest.  There are also some very definite Samoan names in their line-up.

The Omani side for this encounter is (in no particular order); "

Ashish Odedara, Aamir Kaleem (c), Mohammed Nadeem, Jitan Ramanadi, Vinayak Sukhla (w) Hammad Mirza, Aryan Bisht, Hassnain Shah, Shakeel Ahmed, Shah Faisal, Nadeem Khan

Oman won the toss and put the Samoan's in to bat.  I'd forgotten how 'loud' the Omani side are in the field.  This is a new Omani side to me... not many of the guys I saw in the 'teens' are with this sqaud any more.  Jatinder Singh who was the captain in the Asia Cup and continues in that role for this contest was around yesterday and Sufyan Mehmoud is still mentioned in squads but other than that they are a newish squad to me.

The scorecards are a little sparse and hard to find but the cricket is played with gusto for sure. 

Sean Solia (2 players both with S initials - his brother is Soloman) and Darius Visser open to Samoa against the bowling of Faisal Shah and he gets the first victim of this event when Solia is caught with only 2 on the board.  In comes Sam French to face the bowling from the other end of Shakeel Ahmed.   Only 4 leg byes are added before the Samoan's lose another bat caught in the deep as Visser looks to make the most of the 'Powerplay' overs but fails to clear the field.  Shah has 2 for very little and Samoa are 7 for 2.  The next man in is Ben Mailata and he helps take the score to 20 for 2 at the end of the 6th over.  Unfortunately he is caught on the boundary from the first ball of the 7th and leaves the field for 3 from 11.  Nadeem gets his first wicket.

French is joined by Taylor and these two have a job to do to move the score to a defendable position.  Unfortunately for Samoa, Nadeem is not finished and he has French LBW for 5 2 balls later and the visitors have slumped to 21 for 4 as captain Caleb Jasmat joins his team mate in the middle.  However, Nadeem Khan has other ideas and he bowls the skipper without scoring at 22 for 5 in the middle of the 8th over.

The next bat to the crease is Soloman Nash and the new pair take the game to the midway point at 28 for 5 with a mountain to climb in the second half of their innings.  By the end of the 12th they have looked to puty something on the board and have moved to 43 for 5.  Oman introduce Kaleem and he breaks the partnership as Nash is caught trying to push on for 10 at 44 for 6.

The next man in is a definite South Sea Islander with the name of Saumani Tiai he helps his side push the score past 50 but when they reach 56 the next wicket falls as Kaleem bowls Tiai for 5.  In comes another definite Samoan as Feriti Suluoto strides out.

Suluoto is not waiting around for anyone as he hits the first six of the tournament and is looking for boundaries from ball 1. He has pushed the score on to 76 with 15 from 12 when his partner Taylor is adjudged LBW to Ali Shah He leaves with 22 from 27 and in comes Daniel Burgess. 

Samoa go into the 20th on 86 for 8 but Suluoto is run out looking for a second in the last ovefr at 88 for 9  Ili Tugaga is the last man in and he stays to push the final score to 92 for 9.   

Odedara and Kaleem stride out to see what they can do with the home side needing 93 for victory.  Tugagi a big seam bowler takes the first from the pavilion end and they take 7 from it all from the bat of Odedara.  Interesting new thing I saw in Malahide at the end of September.  In international T20 games there is a clock measuring the time between overs on the scoreboard for all to see. Skipper Jasmat takes the second and his second ball causes uproar as the boundary fielder Nash takes one of those 'in and out' boundary catches to send Kaleem back to the hutch for 2.  His teammates are over the moon about that one!!  Oman are 9 for 1 as Mirza takes his place in the middle.  12 for 1 after 2 overs.  it's 17 for 1 after 3 with Mirza finally off the mark.  He opens his shoulders a little morew in the 4th stroking a beautiful boundary through the covers.

The omani pair do not look all that confident with each other in terms of running singles, they are caught in two minds more than once in the early overs.  But they do know how to hit impressive boundaries and can cut and pull with the best in the world!!

In the 5th over the spin of Tiai is introduced and he strikes early removing Odedara at 30 for 2.  In comes Bisht to replace him.  Jasmat is continuing from the Mountain end and the 'Powerplay' ends with Oman on 34 for 2 needing another 59 in 14 overs.

The Omani 50 arrives in the 8th over as Visser comes on to bowl and is taken for 12 from his first.  Tiai keeps it tight at the other end and we go into the halfway over number 10 with Oman on 55 with Bisht on a run a ball 13 and Mirza on 17 from his 25.  Burgess takes the over and he gets the next victim as Bisht misjudges ne and plops it back to the bowler who takes the catch.  57 for 3 and the next bat is Nadeem.  With 10 to go the home side need 34.  But it is not plain sailing as Mirza is comprehensively 'castled' by Nash at the pavilion end with the 2nd b all of the 11th. 59 for 4 with Mirza gone for 18 from 27 and wicketkeeper Shukla now in the middle.

Burgess changes end to the mountains as Nadeem and Shukla look to put this game to bed but the Samoans are certainly not going quietly or easily.  Nash is also asking questions at the Pavilion end as they move to 67 for 4 after 13.  The Samoan 'press' is on and the Omanis look decidedly nervous with only 26 required. Nadeem is taking the lead role with 12 from his 16 as he moves his side into the 70s.  Shukla is definitely supporting with 2 from his 7.

Tugagi returns with hiis military medium for the 15th as both Omani bats look to milk the runs and finish this taking singles rather than looking to do it in boundaries like some sides do when the total is not all that large.  More than 1 side has 'come a cropper' trying to finish such a game quickly. 

With 5 to go the runs required has to well below 20 and the Omani dressing room has become more rowdy as the pair in the middle get closer.  But the small Samoan contingent have the chance to cheer as Shukla is caught on the square leg boundary at 81 for 5 for 8 from 12 off the bowling of Tiai who has moved to the mountain end.  In comes Jitan Ramanandi looking to finisdh this one off.  A four from Nadeem give the home side the points and at 96 for 5 Oman win by 5 wickets.

On we go to the second game on the second "Turf" between UAE and Qatar at 2:30 this afternoon.  

Man of the Match - Faisal Shah

Game 2 Qatar v UAE @ Turf 2 Al Amerat Oman Wednesday 8 October 2025

This is more familiar as this is the first GRASS pitch I watched Omani cricket on.  The buildings are more impressive but they are in the same places as the old ones used to be.  This is the international pitch in the sense that it has international standard floodlights and so can cater for day night games.  It is the one the Pavilion faces and it feels far more like cricket 'home'.

I know very little about the Qataris and not much more about the UAE, except that at one time they had no Arabs in their organisation at all.  I'm not sure how much that has changed. 

Qatar won the toss and chose to bat.  However, neither of their opening bqats botheree the scorers Lynage went to the 3rd ball caught by Junaid bowled Siddique (who is a very very tall man).  He looked impressive until he didn't.  Zubair Ali lasted into the second over though didn't put bat to ball for runs.  He was run out by 5the second bowler Rohid with 5 on the board. Munir at the other end had made 4 of the 5 runs and the other was an extra. It didn't get better when the next man Asim was caught by Panashar off the next ball.

The next man in is Tanveer - not expecting to be in this early I can guarantee.  The two bats look to try and re-establish a base in this innings but although they make a start it end in the 5th over when Munir who has really been the basis of the total is caught by Hameed of the bowling of Zahir Ali.  5 overs in and nearly halfway through the batting line-up.

Mirzar Baig the bowling allrounder is the next man to try and get this innings back on track as the UAE turn to Singh and the spin of Parashar to look to ensure that this innings never really gets started.  Qatar have not passed 50 by the end of the 9th but a four from Tanveer takes them to 52 for 4 with 2 balls to go before the halfway point.  They have movee it to 55 by the end of the first half.

Parashar gets the UAE's own back 2 balls later by removing Tanveer for 19 from 21 LBW at 57 for 5.  In comes Jamil.

At this point I notice that there are two guys sitting under umbrellas at each end of the ground.  After every over, they either cover the hoarding ads with a black sheet or remove it depending on which end the bowling is coming from.  The wonders of the human resource use in the Gulf!!

Baig and his new partner push the score along at more of as rate and they probably would have continued to except for a truly excellent diving boundary catch in the middle of the 14th over from Hammed off the bowling of Simramjeet Singh which sends Baig back to the dressing room at 84 for 6 and replaces him with Ikramullah.  Baig added 30 from 29 when his side needed it and it is a shame he went but also good he went to a splendid piece of cricket.

By the 15th Qatar seem becalmed again as they have added only 5 in the last 2 overs.  Jamil takes over and his straight six takes the side over 100 to 104 and his own score to 20 from 16. He tries it again the next ball and finds the hands of Hameed (who else) from the bowling of Zahid Ali.  The next man is Daniel Archer Louis and he sees the innings out with Ikramullah taking the score to 118 for 8 with 17 to the latter asnd 6 to the former.

Well they got there but it took a lot of time and it isn't a lot really.  You would expect the experience of the Emiratis to clear this quite easily,

But cricket is an interesting example of when it doesn't quite go that way.

Sharma and Muhammed come out to start the chase against the bowling of Baig and the spin of Rehman and they make heavy work of it from the start.  Although they take 11 off ther first over from the seamer they then only reach 16 after 3 and they lose Muhammed LBW for a run a ball 11 in the 4th.  16 for 1 and in comes Sharafu to face Ikramullah in the 5th while Baig changes ends to the 'Mountain' end.  They have only moved n to 25 for 1 at the end of the 6th ovet 'Powerplay'.

Sharma decides this is not good enough and he is not going to die wondering if they can make the runs.  He tries to get caught by the same fielder 3 times before he manages to achieve the aim and he is out caught by Asim of the bowling of Baig for 13 from 18 at 29 for 2.  Chopra replaces him and despite 3 changes of bowling to keep the bats on their toes, the UAE duo seem t be in no hurry to sort out the scoring rate.  By the 10th over they have moved to 42 for 2 and they then lose Chopra for a massive 3 from his 9 caught Zubair Ali bowled Rehman.  They still need 77!!

The lights come on with the end of the 10th over and the first boundary for a long time brings up the 50 to move UAE to 53 for 3 at the start of the 12th.  It is starting to become an issue as Kaushik joins Sharafu in the middle.

At 15 it is 81 for 3 with Kaushik on 21 from 19 and Sharafu 30 from 32 and they need 38 from 30 balls.  With 3 overs to go they need 27 from 18 but a six from Kaushik takes them over the 100 to 104 and as Baig comes back on Sharafu finally realizes he ought to finish this and he does going to 51 himself from 42 balls with a flurry of last over boundaries.  They reach 119 for 3 with 10 balls to go and win by 7 wickets.  But it took a long long time!!  

Man of the Match - Sharafu

Game 3 Nepal v Kuwait @ Turf 2 Al Amerat Oman Wednesday 8 October 2025 

Nepal are a side and a half from memory but I have no real knowledge of the ability levels of Kuwait I must admit.  It looks like Nepal will bat first in this floodlit game - the first I have ever seen on this ground.  The floodlights weren't working when I left here in 2018.  I'm not sure if there are any advantages from batting or bowling first as the lights were on 30 overs into the last game so they will not alter conditions for ne side or the other.  The heat has most definitely softened and the wind has picked up.  We are in the mountains after all.

It looks like Nepal will bat first having been put in by their opposition.  There's even a crowd for the night match.  Quite a few Nepalese, not so many Kuwaitis.  They are most definitely up for this!!

Arif Sheikh (he has a brother in the squad called Asif) is opening with Bhurtel for Nepal against the bowling of Farooq from the Pavilion end. Both men are off the mark as Patel starts the second over. But Kuwait strike early as Shiek is caught behind off the bowling of Farooq in the third over at 5 for 1.  He goes for 2 and out comes the skipper Paudel at number 3.

At the start of the next Patel over, Bhurtel deposits him over the rope to double the Nepalese score.  He is presently doing most of the scoring for his side.  He is such a thorn that there is a change and Rajendran is called up for the last over of the 'Powerplay' as both bats start to look for boundaries.  Nepal have moved to 39 with the skipper on 10 and Bhurtel on 25 from the 19 he has faced.  Chenthamara makes it a double change as he comes on at the Pavilion end for the 7th.

With the second ball of the 8th Rajendran quietens the partisan crowd a little as he yorks the Nepal captain for 16 from 15 at 46 for 2.  Excellent ball under some pressure.  It isn't until the next over that the batting side pass 50 and that comes off a last ball wide from Chethamara.

Bhurtel has been joined by Malla as we move to the second half of the innings.  Rajendran  produces the yorker again and removes Malla after only a short stay for 4 runs at 53 for 3. Jora is the next man in and he keeps out the last ball of the first half

After 10 overs Nepal have reached 53 for 3 as Shereef comes on for his first. Mohamed Mawfar takes over at the other end and he is the next one to make a breakthrough as he sends Jora back stumped for only 5 at 63 for 4

Airee is the new man in and he seems to be a man in a hurry.  As we start the 12th over he is keen to run off anything that looks possible to push the score along and as Bhurtel has gone into his shell a little this is probably a good move as we move towards the last 5 overs. 

We reach the 15 over mark at 78 for 4 - every side today has found keeping the score going difficult.  Patel returns to try and keep the difficulty high.  They look to split the field and he keeps making them take only singles.  The boundary has been hard to find in most of the games.  With 4 overs to go the Nepalese are still looking to convert into 3 figures at 86 for 4.  An Airee six gets the crowd up and bouncing but one is not enough.  Bhurtel goes one better and nearly put one over the stand at the Pavilion end (it's four storeys high) to take his side to 101 for 4.  It also brought up Bhurtle's with 52 from 47.

Chenthamara is given the 18th to hold the pair.  He keeps them moving and Airee is run out trying to keep the score progressing taking a pretty insane single where the Kuwaiti keeper has all the tie in the world to simply break the stumps as he has the ball in his hand.  104 for 5 brings in Jha to try and keep the momentum going.    They do keep it going into Rajendran's next as the score goes up to 116 for 5.  Jha has.  taken 14 from 4 and then 20 from 5. With 2 overs to go this score is moving at a pace.

Chenthamara bowls out with the 19th and he finally gets one through and bowls Jha for 20 at 136 for 6.  A really good 'keep it going' innings when you pafrtner isd in the 60s.  Out comes Kami with one job... Get Bhurtel on strike.  But the Kuwaiti bowler is too goos and he bowls him as well.  He deaprts for an excellent 63 from 56 - the first real innings of the day to be honest.  The first bat to now scrabble around, he kept to his task and punished the bad ball every time.   in comes Yadav to scramble some bits at the end and the innings ends at 141 for 7. 

Kuwait need 142 in front of a pretty partisan crowd rooting for the opposition and opening bowler Kami skittles opening bat Da Silva with his fourth ball 1 for 1.  In comes Bhavsar to partner Anto and survfive the first over.  They need 140 more as Yadav opens at the Pavilion end.  Thre early Nepalese outfielding is top notch as well.  Sharp, attacking the ball and firing returns straight over the bails.  Impressive stuff that keeps the bats honest.

Sompal Kami is distinctly quick.  He's passing the bat often and the Kuwaitis don't really have a solution to him.  He is now joined by Rajbanshi for the first time from the Pavilion end who is providing spin to complement his faster partner.  However, Bhavsar doesn't look easily scared by bowlers as he puts the spinner into the Pavilion.  He tries it again two balls later and the spinner wins as he is caught on the boundary and leaves for a run a ball 11 at 20 for 2.  In comes Bapu Patel to finish the over.  But he doesn't survive the next as he tries to ramp Yadav and loses his bails instead at 21 for 3.  

Yasin Patel has joined Anto who has hardly seen the ball yet in this innings having scored 6 from the 10 balls he has faced by the end of the 5th over.  At the end of the 'Powerplay' the score has moved on to 31 for 3. Lamichhane takes the next over and has a difficult chance dropped on the scoreboard boundary.  It's doubtful even if the fielder had held it he would have been able to stay inside the boundary rope.  Nevertheless, it moves the score on to 39 for 3.  Kuwat still need over 100 to win with 13 overs left to get them in.

Airee starts his account with the 8th and the speed of the infielders keeps the bats in their crease as they consider a second run and rightly decide not to take it.  Anto opens his shoulders for the first time in th 9th and takes Kuwait over 50 with a straight six into the Nepalese crowd.  53 for 3 with Anto halfway to a personal 50.

Anto looks to take a quick single as he drops the ball and runs.  Airee is up the wicket, turning and breaking the stumps before the bat reaches the non strikers end.  The single was there, the bats moved at the right time, the bowler was just better.   It's 56 for 4.  He goes for 26 and Mohamed Nawfar is his replacement.

Bhurtel turns his arm over as we start the second half of this innings.  Kuwait need 83 from 58 balls to take the points.  The skipper Paudel joins him from the Pavilion end with his first of the night. The pressure of needing over 10 an over is getting to the bats as Nawfar fires the ball straight to the boundary fielder set there for just that shot.  67 for 5 and he goes for 7 from 7 but the arab side is running out of bats still needing over 10 an over.  In comes Bilal as another over goes boundary-less and the pressure just ramps up.

 Airee changes ends for the second half of his spell and still the boundaries don't come.  The shots are competent but the fielders are just in the right places and don't drop anything.  At 74 Patel tries to get over them but is caught in the deep for 19 from his 26.  74 for 6 just short of the end of the 16th.  Kuwait need 68 from 38.  Shereef has the task of helping Bilal get them.  But it isn't going to happen as Bilal is the next to go for 3 from 9 at 76 for 7.  it's simply now a case of 'when' not 'if'. Rajendran  goes first ball and 76 for 8 has no route back for the Gulf side.

Chenthamara strides out Lanchhane  bowls the hat-trick ball but it doesn't happen for him.  The Kuwaiti pair survive.  Rajbanshi bowls the 16th and Shareef keeps him out.  It is a matter of pride and survival for the Kuwaitis.  The game has gone but the 20 over target is still there.  They survive the next Lanchhane over and even get runs.

Rajbanshi gets the 9th as Shareef tries to cut and is caught behind at 82 for 9.  Farooq is the last man in with 60 needed from 17 balls.  Rajbanshi will bowl out here with 2 for 17.  But it isn't over yet.

Bhurtle takes the last wicket qwith the first ball of the 19th as Farooq pops it up for an easy catch.  Nepal win by 58 runs restricting Kuwait to 83 all out.  

Very impressive end to Day 1.  Where Oman, UAE and Nepal took points and Samoa, Qatar and Kuwait are on the back foot for the rest of the League stage.

Man of the Match - Kushel Bhurtle

SE Asia/Pacific 2026 T20 WC Qualifiers Day 1

Discussion started by Grockles.com , 08/10/2025 07:36

Grockles.com
08/10/2025 07:36

What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:10:13:18:04:13 by Grockle.

Reply Quote Report

Grockle
08/10/2025 07:53

I'm here until the 17th and will cover the matches Day by Day for no other reason than I'm here. ANy questions concerning these outliers of cricket please send them here and I'll do my best to find the answers.

Reply Quote Report

Goto: Forum List•Message List•Search• Log In

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

We record all IP addresses on the Sportnetwork message boards which may be required by the authorities in case of defamatory or abusive comment. We seek to monitor the Message Boards at regular intervals. We do not associate Sportnetwork with any of the comments and do not take responsibility for any statements or opinions expressed on the Message Boards. If you have any cause for concern over any material posted here please let us know as soon as possible by e-mailing abuse@sportnetwork.net