Marcus Stoinis stars as Australia prove too hot for Oman to handle

The allrounder smashes an unbeaten 67 and takes 3 for 19 with the ball to give the 2021 champions an early lead at the top of Group B ahead of facing England this weekend

Nick Howson | 06/06/2024 at 05:20

Barbados: Australia 164-5, Oman 125-9 - Australia won by 39 runs

Marcus Stoinis dragged Australia out of a brief crisis to help beat Oman comfortably in their opening Men's T20 World Cup game at Kensington Oval.

The 2021 winners were reduced to 50 for 3 after being inserted, with Glenn Maxwell out for a first-ball duck following a brilliant catch by captain Aqib Ilyas at cover.

Stoinis initially struggled and was dropped on eight by wicketkeeper Pratik Athavale before his first boundary came as Ayaan Khan caught the ball but in doing so fell onto the rope.

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Aqib Ilyas is engulfed by his teammates after taking a fine catch to dismiss Glenn Maxwell (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

An eventful 15th over bowled by Mehran Khan - who Stoinis would later dismiss in the chase - saw the 34-year-old smash three more maximums and when Bilal Khan returned he brought up a third T20I fifty with a fifth six which landed in the car park.

A solar panel also smashed, no one was safe and Stoinis made it half a dozen by banging Kaleemullah over the rope. He finished 67 not out having been given another life by Kashyap Prajapati.

His fourth wicket partnership with David Warner, whose 56 saw him become Australia men's highest T20I run-scorer, was worth 102 as Oman who had defended 109 on the way to a super over defeat to Namibia in their opening game, allowed a good start to slip through their grasp.

Oman had previously chased the 165 needed to win once before in a T20I against the United Arab Emirates - last November they scored 184 for 9 on their way to a super over victory over Nepal in the Asia qualifier - but this was an altogether different task against the reigning ODI world champions.

Mitchell Starc struck with the third legal delivery, hitting Pratik Athavale (0) on the pad with a classic inswinger. The left-arm seamer would later limp off after bowling three overs which what was later confirmed as a bout of cramp.

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Mehran Khan was dispatched for four sixes by an on-song Stoinis (Getty Images)

Aqib successfully reviewed later in the over but became the first of Stoinis' two victims as Australia took control.

Zeeshan Maqsood (1) followed, edging to Matthew Wade, Khalid Kail (8) holed out to Glenn Maxwell and Adam Zampa brought up 300 Australia T20I wickets by bowling Shoaib Khan (0) who had previously survived being given out twice by the DRS.

Ayaan Khan (36) counterattacked with a pair of fours and sixes but was removed by Zampa as Australia cantered to victory to go top of Group B ahead of facing England on Saturday (June 8).