KATHMANDU, Feb 7: An unbeaten partnership of 63 runs between Mohammad Nadeem and Suraj Kumar helped Oman register second win in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 as it beat the United States by six wickets at TU Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Thursday. 

Player-of-the-match Nadeem notched up his second half-century in a row whereas Kumar chipped in with crucial 33 unbeaten runs to secure the win in 49.3 overs chasing the total of 214 runs posted by the United States. 

With the win, Oman added another two points to the total tally to reach second on the points table behind the US on net run-rate. 

Both the teams have 12 points each with Oman playing eight and the US playing nine League 2 matches.

Kumar went in to bat when Oman was reduced to 151 runs for the loss of four wickets in the 38th over with the US sniffing a chance to make a comeback in the match. 

However, the wicket-keeper batsman smashed two boundaries and a six over long-off in a matured performance to take his team home in the second match of the tri-series. 

Oman won the first match against Nepal by 18 runs.

Nadeem continued his good form after winning the player-of-the-match award against Nepal in the first match responding with another unbeaten half-century on the trot. 

In a patient innings which guided Oman towards the win, Nadeem smashed two boundaries and a six during his 85-ball 55 runs in the match.

Aqib Ilyas was the star of the match top-scoring for Oman side with 72 runs off 110 deliveries batting at number three. 

He smashed six fours and two sixes in his match-winning innings. 

He shared a 64 runs partnership with opening batsman Khawar Ali who negotiated early spells with a patient 51-ball 31 runs which included five boundaries.

Despite a disciplined bowling performance, the US bowlers were denied wickets by the Oman batsmen. 

Captain Saurabh Netravalkar, Justin Theron, Ian Holland and Steven Taylor were able to scalp a wicket each in their respective spells. 

Similarly, Karima Gore, Timil Patel and Elmore Hutchinson were wicket-less in the match.

Earlier, the US was invited to bat first after Oman won the toss in the morning start. 

It proved to be a good decision as the US was reduced to 54 runs for the loss of four wickets in 15.5 overs. 

The US lost both its opening batsmen, Xavier Marshall and Aaron Jones, for 13 and 12 runs respectively despite a patient start negotiating the opening bowlers Bilal Khan and Kaleemullah cautiously. 

Similarly, Steven Taylor was dismissed for four runs. 

Oman bowler Mohammad Nadeem took advantage of the pressure created by opening bowlers dismissing both the openers whereas Taylor was adjudged LBW by a Khan delivery. 

Monank Patel hung in for 28 deliveries before giving a straight-forward catch to Ilyas in slips off Oman captain Zeeshan Maqsood.

A partnership of 82 runs for the fifth wicket between Ian Holland and wicket-keeper Akshay Homraj steadied the dwindling innings for a brief period of time. 

Holland top-scored for the US contributing 65 runs off 78 deliveries which included seven boundaries. 

Likewise, Homraj smashed 44 runs off 53 deliveries which included three boundaries and two sixes.

Oman kept losing wickets in regular interval eventually getting all-out in exactly 50 overs for 213 runs. 

Apart from Holland and Homraj, Timil Patel, Justin Theron and captain Saurabh Netravalkar contributed 16, 10 and 14 runs respectively.

Nadeem was best bowler of the innings picking up three wickets in eight overs conceding 43 runs off it. 

Khan, Ilyas and Maqsood chipped in with two wickets each whereas Kaleemullah picked a wicket in his economical eight overs conceding 22 runs off it.

Nepal and United States will face each other in their respective second match of the League 2 on Saturday

 
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