Oman is one of the ten squads that will visit Zimbabwe to play in the qualifier round of the Cricket World Cup 2023. Oman has revealed a preliminary squad for the 2023 Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe. Oman has taken part in the World Cup Qualifier 2 times and they made their debut in 2005. Their best in the ICC World Cup Qualifier came in 2005 when they finished at number 9th place.
Oman, along with Ireland, Scotland, UAE, and Sri Lanka, is grouped in Group B. The team's journey in the Qualifier round will commence with a match against Ireland at Bulawayo Athletic Club, Bulawayo on June 19, 2023. Subsequently, they will face UAE in their second match on June 21, 2023, at the Bulawayo Athletic Club, Bulawayo. On June 23, 2023, Oman will contest their third match against Sri Lanka, followed by their final game against Scotland on June 25, 2023, at Bulawayo Athletic Club, Bulawayo.
Oman Squad ICC World Cup Qualifiers 2023
- Zeeshan Maqsood (Captain)
- Aqib Ilyas (vc)
- Fayyaz Butt
- Samay Shrivastava
- Sandeep Goud
- Kaleemullah
- Kashyap Prajapati
- Ayaan Khan
- Jatinder Singh
- Bilal Khan
- Shoaib Khan
- Adeel Shafique (Wicket Keeper)
- Naseem Khushi (Wicket Keeper)
- Suraj Kumar (Wicket Keeper)
- Mohammad Nadeem
- Jay Odedra
- Rafiullah
Zeeshan Maqsood, an experienced cricketer, will captain the team, while Aqib Ilyas will serve as his deputy for the tournament involving ten teams. Duleep Mendis will take the responsibility of a head coach. Among the squad members, there are two players who haven't played for the national team before, leg-spinner Samay Shrivastav and all-rounder Rafiullah. Additionally, there are three wicketkeepers named Naseem Khushi, Suraj Kumar, and Adeel Shafique. However, only one of them will make it to the final 15. The rest of the squad consists of familiar faces, with Bilal Khan and Kaleemullah leading the bowling attack. The average age of the squad is 32, indicating a dependence on experienced players.
Currently, Oman is holding 18th place in the ICC ODI team ranking, and their best in the ICC ranking came in 2020 when they were placed in 13th place. As of June 2023, they have participated in 39 ODIs where they achieved victory in 21 and lost 16 matches.
Oman is aiming to secure their maiden qualification for the prestigious Cricket World Cup. In preparation for the upcoming tournament, they have diligently scheduled a series of five practice matches in Durban, aimed at honing their skills and fine-tuning their strategies.