By Grockle
October 9 2026

The Associates are in that treadmill that they have to go through to actually qualify for World Cups that the Test sides don't seem to have to do.This time it is the ODI World Cup in Southern Africa in 2027.  The League 2 sides are fighting through a number of tournaments to get for the final qualifying tournament in Namibia in Feb March next year.  that means they play about 28 games against each other to get to the top of the League 2.  Presently that means a tri tounament in Muscat between 3 major contenders in Canada, Nepal and Oman.  Oman are presently 4th in the table (but with singnificant games in hand) while Canada are 6th and Nepal are trailing at 9th.  They will play 6 games ("Home" and "Away") here to see if they can change the situationandmove closer to that final event and a berth in the real thing next year. 

CWC Tri Series - Oman v Canada @ Turf 1 Al Amerat Friday 9 October 2026

An important associate tournament for the nations hoping to claim a place in the 2027 ODI World Cup in Southern Africa.  It's a long trail which started a long time ago and will go through to the final qualifying tournament in Namibia in February/March 2027 where10 nations will fight for the final places with the 'big boys'.

Today Oman host Canada at the national stadium outside Muscat in the mountains around Al Amerat.  The home side won the toss and captain Vinayat Shukla chose to bat first.  The Omani side is;

Jatinder Singh, Hasnain Ul Wahab, Mujibur Ali, Hammad Mirza, Vinayak Shukla (w & c), Sanju Sajeev, Zikria Islam, Hassnain Shah, Jay Odedra, Shakeel Ahmed, Samay Shrivastava.

Quite a few new names in that eleven from the side I saw in the T20 qualifiers last October.  But it is the equivalent of the associate nation 'Test' format and the approach has to be different.  The Omani side has few pace options and a lot of spin in it's makeup for today. 

Jatinder and Wahab walk out into the middle to start the innings facing Ajayveer Hundal from the Oman Academy end.  The first four sets the tone from the second ball.  9 off the first all to the bat of Singh.  The second over is taken by another pace man for Canada as Akhil Kumar takes the ball from from the supporter stand end and Oman move to 16 with Wahab still without a run to his name.  He finally gets off the mark in the 4th over while his partner looks to capitalise before the spinners come on.  After 5 overs the batting side has moved on to 43 with Singh the significant scorer with 31 from 22 while Wahab is starting to move with 11 from 8. 

Canada start to run through their spinners after the initial seam attack as Sheel Patel takes the 6th and Sukjinder Singh (not confusing at all!!) taking the 7th but it doesn't stop the OMani 50 arriving in the 7th with Singh moving on to 32 from 35 while Wahab has moved to a run a ball 17.

In the 8th, Singh has Singh stumped off his first ball but as there are no review systems here, the umpire takes the view that the Omani got his foot back down (the livestream replay shows he does not) and he survives.  However it matters little as Jatinder looks to reverse the next ball in the 9th and is LBW for 34 from 32 at 50 for 1 to the Canadian Singh!

In comes Mujibar Ali and he is not going to hang about it seems as he first helps his side to 58 after 10 overs before both the Omani's greet the introduction of Harsh Thaker in the 14th with full body sixes over the top.  They have moved to 89 for 1 after 15 with Ali in 12 from 18 and Wahab on 38 from 40. 

The 100 arrives in the 18th and the 50 partnership quickly follows off 28 balls at 102 for 1.  The Omani policy seems to be to be watchful against the 2 spinners (Patel  and Singh) while every other bowler is fair game. Wahab's 50 arrives at 112 for 1 just after the 20th over drinks break from just 52 balls of Kumar and after 21 overs it is 118 for 1 with the Canadians needing a wicket or two to take the game back from the home side. 

Shivam Sharma tries to keep the Omani's in check in the 22nd over but Wahab is in "full swing" mode now and takes him for 22 off it to take the score quickly on to 140 for 1 and this game is getting away from the Canadians.  At the end of the 23rd, Kumar has gone for 44 off 6 overs and the home side is a run away from the 150 as Patel returns to the attack.  It comes from a Wahab single off the second ball of the 24th.  Patel has only gone for 16 from his 5 overs and at halfway Oman have 152 for 1

Hundal starts the second half with 120 runs coming from the 13 overs NOT bowled by Singh and Patel - their 12 have gone for 32!!  It's a pretty obvious strategy and the visitors need to get rid of Wahab ASAP as he moves towards 3 figures. 

But as is always the way, when you think a bat is in control "cricket" comes and bites you.  In the 27th over from Hundal on 166, Ali hits a straight drive which hits Wahab on the leg backing up.  This stops the ball but the non striker keeps coming though the ball has stopped just in front of the bowler who picks it up and breaks the stumps at the non striker's end to send Hasain on his way for 93 from75 balls with a hundred in his grasp.  A brain fart at exactly the wrong time and it is 166 for 2 with Mirza arriving at the crease.

With that breakthrough, Sheel Patel do get some kind of traction as the spinner gets one in the 29th to move off the surface and he dismisses Mirza for 6 at 177 for 3 to bring the Omani Captain Shukla to the middle.  He sweeps his first to the boundary to get off th emark while looking to keep the momentum of his team going. Oman reach the 30 over mark at 183 for 3 with the hopes of putting on a significant score this morning.  Canada needs something of a comeback to keep themselves in with a shout in this game at the moment.

At 193 in the 34th, looking for the big one to 200, Ali misses a straight one that doesn't domuch and Patel  has another as he leaves bowled for 39 from 73 balls.  "You miss I hit" is a simple rule really.  In comes Ahmad as Patel finishes his spell with 2 for 36 from his 10.

Singh returns as the Canadians put the press on significantly. By the end of the 35th Oman have only progressed to 193 for 4.  10 runs in 5 overs for the loss of a wicket.  The skipper flips Sharma for 2 at the start of the 38th to take his side over 200 to 201. He has 13 and Ahmad has 5.

Thaker returns after going for 13 from his first and he takes out the Omani Captain Shukla bowling him around his legs for 20 off 21 at 208 for 5. So he gets some revenge for the early 'tap'.  Islam is the next man in andhe helps the side to 210 by the 40th over. But Thaker is on his game now though Islam is looking to score quckly.  By tyhe 44th he has 24 from 18 with 4 boundaries with 2 for six. Thaker keeps to his job and when the bat tries to heave another one the ballstays straight and he is bowled at 238 for 6 and Thaker has 2. 

Sanju Sanjeev the young bat just one month into his international career is the next man in.he is off themark immedaitely and takes his side to 240 for 6 with 5 to go