When Oman plays Australia in Barbados, they are instructed to ignore the names on the opposing squad sheet because captain Aqib Ilyas feels his team may use spin to attack them.
After winning the World Test Championship (WTC) and ODI World Cup last year, Australia is looking to become the first team to hold global trophies across all three formats. Ilyas stressed in a confident pre-match press conference that Oman must approach the match like any other and not let them intimidate them.
Ilyas clarified it was meant to convey to Oman that they can compete with a formidable opponent rather than any disrespect.
“Once you step into the pitch, there is no big name, there is no one bigger than you at the pitch,” he stated. “For us, it’s just another game, and we don’t anticipate facing an exceptionally talented opponent.
“As a captain, I don’t have to go tell them that you’re going to face Mitchell Starc. You already think of it when you play some of the best bowlers or players in cricket. The coach has also expressed his gratitude, saying, “We don’t even take their names; it’s just a team that has come and still they are at the same level what we are doing.” The management has also been very positive. Though we admire them and what they have done in the past, it doesn’t really matter because both of our teams have qualified and so will one team win. They are referred to be world champions for this reason.
“No doubt there are big names, but [to] our boys, what I say is if they take on Starc tomorrow, imagine someone taking on Starc or any of the top bowlers, how much highlight he will get.”
Oman had already played one match at Kensington Oval, a low-scoring match that ended in a Super Over loss to Namibia. Even though it appeared to be a better surface for batting during the day as Scotland put up a solid opening stand against England prior to the rain, Ilyas stated that the conditions could still push the two teams closer despite the unpredictable bounce and spin of the surface. A new pitch is anticipated for the Australia match.
“You see the last match, how the ball was turning and staying low,” he stated. “I don’t think there are many good technique players from Australia these days, but they used to have some, like Steven Smith and [Marnus] Labuschagne. They aim for a major hit. Everyone tries to hit sixes, but it’s not always the same day, and if they are hitting the same wicket, it could cause them trouble.
“Even with arguably of the strongest hitters on the team, it was challenging to chase 130 runs when PNG bowled against the West Indies, as you could see. Therefore, the only thing left to do is play with a big heart and place the ball in the appropriate places when faced with a slower track and slow wicket and quality spinners. The ball doesn’t know how big the batsman in front of it [is], so it’s all about the areas. The batsman disappears if it shifts slightly, remains low, or does anything else.”
Although Ashton Agar mentioned earlier in the week that there was more and more footage of the Associate teams accessible for those who wanted to use it, there is still a sense of uncertainty for Australia going into their first match against Oman.
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Travis Head, who will bat first with David Warner, said he would not be excessively meticulous in his preparation, preferring to follow a regimen and strategy that has previously served him well.
“My [preparation] is pretty relaxed,” he stated. I’ll take a brief look at a few of the guys from Oman later today or perhaps tonight. You’ll receive a tonne of film, but I’ll probably only watch a small portion of it during the warm-up to try to get a general sense of who is who. Sort of like I was in India too, only you could kind of see the bowl-throughs.During the warm-up, stand close to them and observe the activity around the bowling activities. After that, maintain your composure and relaxed demeanour.”
When Ilyas was asked if he would approach the Australian players differently after the game, there was a smile and a sparkle in his eyes.
“It is dependent upon the outcome of the game. Perhaps they will also adopt our name,” he remarked. “Everything is conceivable. It’s cricket, here. We honour them. Nothing indicates that we don’t value them. As cricketers, we hold them in high regard. However, it’s a tactical matter that requires mental toughness prior to the game, thus we must be mentally tough. They are undoubtedly the best players on the team after the game, and we can learn a lot from them—and they can learn something from us as well.”
India
