Pakistan Shaheens opened their Rising Stars Asia Cup campaign in Doha against Oman with exactly the kind of statement performance they had hoped for.
On a day where young talent took centre stage, the Shaheens swatted aside Oman by 40 runs to claim the first win of Group B in style. And if this opener is any indication, Pakistan’s next generation is here to roar.
The Shaheens were put into bat after Oman won the toss, but what followed was pure punishment for the bowlers. Maaz Sadaqat produced one of the most explosive innings of the tournament so far — an unbeaten 96 off just 54 balls, including nine towering sixes. Alongside him, skipper Irfan Khan provided the perfect middle-overs spark, smashing 44 off 21, while Saad Masood’s late cameo (19 off 6) pushed Pakistan to a massive 220 for 4.
Oman never quite recovered from early blows during the improbable chase. Ubaid Shah rattled their top order and finished with three wickets, while Maaz Sadaqat proved his all-round value with two crucial strikes.
At 79 for 7, Oman had little hope of getting close to the target before Zikria Islam tried to drag them back into the contest with a blistering 57 off 28 balls, and late fireworks from Muzahir Raza (46 not out off 24 balls) delayed the inevitable. But with wickets tumbling in clusters, Oman eventually folded for 180 for 9, still short of the target.
After an easy win over Oman, Pakistan Shaheens’ next test in the Asia Cup Rising Stars will be against India on Sunday, but the team has sent a clear message to the rest of the group: This team didn’t come to participate. They came to dominate.
The Rising Stars Asia Cup has only just begun, but Pakistan have already staked their claim.