On Thursday, England (50/2) registered a thumping 8-wicket win over Oman (47/10) in the ongoing T20 World Cup at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. The Lions chased don’t 47 runs in a record 3.1 overs to stay relevant in pursuit for the Super 8 stage.
After being asked to bat first, Oman only managed to score (47/10) runs in 13.2 overs as England’s attack was led by Jofra Archer (3/12), who confined the opposition to a low score. Although Shoaib Khan (11/23) tried to slow the innings, Adil Rashid’s (4/11) late scare after the powerplay made things more difficult for Oman.
After winning the toss, England invited Oman to bat first in Antigua to boost their net run rate by limiting their opponents to a low score. With Jofra Archer (3/12) and Mark Wood (3/12) in full flow, Oman never looked like scoring in the match. However, Shoaib Khan (11/23) tried his best to take the match deep, he was left with no choice but to watch his team collapse in the middle thanks to an outstanding bowling performance from Adil Rashid (4/11) in the middle overs, who was unplayable. 
To improve their net run, England returned looking to finish early. Phil Salt struck two sixes in the first two balls, but Bilal Khan (1/36) dismissed him in the third bowl. With just 3.1 overs in the powerplay, England moved closer to Scotland, who occupy the second and final spot for the Super Eight. Jos Buttler scored 24 runs during the match, and Jonny Bairstow scored 8 to seal a dominant win.
After losing four matches in a row, Oman is already out of the T20 World Cup. However, England now has a lifeline as they have a better net run rate than Scotland, who will now play Australia. To have a good chance of moving forward, England will closely monitor that match and hope Australia wins by a big margin. Oman’s run at the tournament has ended, but they did show some promise against Australia and Namibia.
Here are five moments which defined the result
Adil Rashid’s magic
The Oman innings was struggling, and they ended the power play with 25 runs for 4 wickets. Little did they know that Adil Rishad would come to attack and take his first wicket in his first ball as he completely dismantled the middle order. With one wicket each in his consecutive overs, Oman’s innings was in serious trouble. Four wickets were taken by Rashid for 11 runs.
Buttler’s knockout blow
Buttler unleashed his blizzard form in the third over, attacking Bilal Khan after remaining silent for two overs. However, his attack on Bilal Khan (2/36) in the 3rd almost finished the match as they needed four runs after the end of the over. After hitting three consecutive fours, he smashed a six and a four, bringing them close to victory and improving their net run rate overall.
Inch-perfect bowling by the seamers
England’s pacers dealt Oman a major blow during the powerplay, as they caused havoc for their batters. Jofra Archer (3/12) and Mark Wood (3/12) bowled perfectly to restrict Oman for 24 for 4 wickets in the powerplay. Even though they failed to create any big partnerships, the England bowlers didn’t allow Oman to gain momentum in the match. As they aimed to restrict their opponent at a low score to boost their run rate from the start, they were spot on.
Shoaib Khan’s pressure break
Oman batters were choked by English bowlers in the first innings of the match, and things looked really bleak for them. At the end of six overs, the team had scored 25 runs with just five wickets in hand. But, as pressure grew, Shoaib Khan rose to the challenge and became the team’s lone warrior. In his first over, he went after Adil Rashid (4/11) to score four with a marvellous cut short, but he could not help the team as wickets were being taken at the other end.
Phil Salt’s crucial wicket
It was an excellent start for England as the opener took on Bilal Khan (2/36) on the first over as he smashed two consecutive sixes in the first two balls as they demonstrated the intent to destroy Oman’s bowlers from the very beginning of the chase. However, he was bowled out after getting the bails off on the third ball due to an insight edge.
England have not only won the game, but have also given them a lifeline for the Super 8 stage. Their bowlers bowled perfectly according to the pitch conditions to set the match in their favour. As England’s spot depends on the outcome of this match, they will hope that Australia wins with a large margin against Scotland. On 15th June, England will play Namibia in the same venue, hoping to make a similar impact.
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