India Defeat Oman by 21 Runs to Top Asia Cup Group

India secured a 21-run victory over Oman in their final Group A match of the Asia Cup 2025 at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Cricket Stadium on Friday, finishing the stage unbeaten and qualifying for the Super Four.

Key Points:

India posted 188/8 in 20 overs, led by Sanju Samson’s 56 off 25 balls.
Oman reached 167/4 in reply, with Aamir Kaleem (64) and Hammad Mirza (51) forging a 93-run second-wicket stand.
Arshdeep Singh claimed his 100th T20I wicket, becoming the first Indian man to reach the milestone.

Batting Prowess Powers India

India opted to bat first after winning the toss and piled up 188/8 in their allotted 20 overs. Sanju Samson smashed a rapid fifty, unleashing 56 runs from just 25 deliveries. Abhishek Sharma provided fireworks at the top, racing to 38 off 15 balls and setting the platform with 60/1 in the powerplay. Cameos from Tilak Varma (29), Axar Patel (26) and Harshit Rana (13*) ensured India maintained a healthy scoring rate throughout.

Oman’s Fightback Falls Short

Chasing 189, Oman openers Jatinder Singh and Aamir Kaleem blasted 56 without loss in the powerplay. Kaleem anchored the effort with a fluent 64, while veteran Hammad Mirza added 51, putting India under pressure with a 93-run partnership. However, Harshit Rana broke through in the 18th over and Hardik Pandya removed Mirza immediately after, triggering a collapse that saw Oman finish on 167/4.

Milestone Moment for Arshdeep Singh

Paceman Arshdeep Singh closed out the match by dismissing Vinayak Shukla, claiming his 100th T20I wicket in just 64 matches-the quickest by any Indian pacer. He finished with figures of 1/37 and etched his name in India’s record books.

What’s Next

With six points from three wins, India top Group A and will face Pakistan in their first Super Four match on Sunday. Oman, having shown resilience despite an early exit, turn their focus to the Asia-Pacific qualifiers for the 2026 T20 World Cup next month.