Pakistan’s convincing 93-run victory over Oman in their Asia Cup opener masked some worrying cracks in their batting, particularly at the top. While Mohammad Haris’s 66 off 43 balls rescued their innings, early failures from the openers exposed vulnerabilities that could be exploited by tougher opponents.
From the outset, Pakistan’s top order was unsettled. Saim Ayub was dismissed for a golden duck — falling on the second ball of the innings — and captain Salman Ali Agha also failed to make a run. Both were dismissed by Oman’s left-arm spinner Aamir Kaleem, who used flight and subtle drift to great effect in the powerplay. These early blows could have derailed Pakistan, as the momentum that openers typically provide was absent.
Into the breach stepped Haris, who was promoted up the order and played one of his finer knocks in recent T20 internationals. After the early collapse, he stitched together a stabilizing 85-run partnership with Sahibzada Farhan, who made a steady 29. That stand not only steadied the innings but also allowed Pakistan to accelerate later. Haris mixed patience with aggression — boundaries when possible, but also ensuring dots were managed. He reached his half-century in 32 balls, showing excellent timing and shot selection.
Even though Haris and Farhan recovered the situation, the lingering question is how Pakistan will handle scenarios where the bowling is even more disciplined and the slack fewer. The early dismissals expose an over-reliance on the middle order to bail them out. For a batting lineup that hopes to go deep in the Asia Cup, consistent starts are vital — especially against spin-friendly teams or under lights, where early pressure can shift momentum significantly.
Beyond the openers, the rest of Pakistan’s batting showed mixed signs. Haris led the fightback and Fakhar Zaman’s unbeaten 23 off 16 balls in the tail added valuable runs, helping Pakistan cross 160. But after the Farhan-Haris stand, Pakistan lost wickets at regular intervals, losing five for 56 in the final seven overs. That suggests either too much risk-taking in slog overs or difficulty in handling tight lines when required to push the scoring rate.
On the flip side, Oman’s bowling — especially from Kaleem and Shah Faisal — was impressive. Kaleem’s 3-31, including dismissals of both openers and Haris (caught-bowled), kept Pakistan’s innings from exploding early. Faisal’s 3-34 added pressure in the middle overs, ensuring that Pakistan didn’t fully capitalise on their powerplay. Oman’s spinners and seamers combined well, exposing soft shots and lack of shot selection under pressure.
Pakistan’s bowlers then produced a ruthless performance, bundling Oman out for 67 in 16.4 overs. Spinners Sufiyan Muqeem (2-7) and Saim Ayub (2-8) were especially effective, choking runs and picking wickets in the middle overs. Seamer Faheem Ashraf (2-6) struck early and helped collapse the top order, showing depth in Pakistan’s attack.
While the margin of victory was convincing, the batting flaws may be a warning sign. In matches against stronger opponents, early wickets and middle-over stutters can open the door for pressure to build, especially on chaseers. The recovery by Haris and the rest masked what could have been a more difficult total.
In conclusion, Pakistan won handsomely and will take plenty of confidence from the performance and their bowling strength. But the exposed fragility at the top is a real Achilles’ heel. If they want to contend for the title, they’ll need more reliable starts. Haris’s rescue act was impressive — but it shouldn’t be regular damage control. Stronger opposition won’t wait for middle-order consolidation.
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