Sunday 09 / March / 2025
MUSCAT: Oman’s head coach, Duleep Mendis, emphasised the importance of strategic planning, team rebuilding, and exposure to tough international conditions as the national cricket team gears up for the remaining 20 matches in the ongoing ICC World Cup League 2 (WCL 2), a crucial pathway to the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup.
In a recent interview after the conclusion of the WCL 2 tri-series at home in February that witnessed Oman compete with USA and Namibia, Mendis reflected on his team’s recent performances, highlighting both the challenges and progress made.
Oman currently hold the second position in the WCL 2 standings, having accumulated 18 points from 16 matches, with a net run rate (NRR) of +0.013.
The United States lead with 22 points from 16 matches and an NRR of +0.602, while Canada trail closely with 17 points but has played 13 games. The Netherlands are fourth with 17 points from 14 games while Scotland [14 points, 11 games], Namibia [12 pts, 17 games], Nepal [6 it's, 12 games] and the UAE [4pts, 11 games] complete the standings as on March 5.
Learning from challenges
Mendis admitted that the team faced significant challenges during their start of the WCL 2 campaign last year that featured tours of Scotland and Canada, particularly in dealing with unfamiliar playing conditions.
“The hybrid pitches in Scotland [July 2024] were extremely green, making it difficult to differentiate the wicket from the surrounding area,” he recollected.
“We didn’t perform well there, but we played without complaints. Similarly, in Canada [September 2024], early morning matches had to be rescheduled due to wet conditions. Those challenges were all part of the learning process for our boys.”
Despite setbacks in the early rounds of the campaigns, Mendis remains optimistic as his boys have regrouped and found form in tri-series at home since November last year as the Team in Red won six of the eight games played at home.
The home run saw Oman register a four-match winning streak in November and post two wins out of four in the tri-series that concluded on February 18.
Mendis said: “We had to quickly rebuild a complete new team after losing a large group of players late last year [October]. Within just two days, we assembled a new squad and put them to the test during the Emerging Teams Asia Cup.
"It was followed by the highly competitive WCL 2 tri-series at Oman Cricket Academy ground in Al Amerat in November, which featured the fancied Netherlands and the UAE teams. It was a tough and difficult phase for us, but we adapted well."
Strengthening the squad
Oman’s resurgence has been driven by experienced players stepping up in crucial moments. The former Sri Lanka cricket great praised the impact of skipper Jatinder Singh, whose consistency has been vital to Oman’s victories in the WCL campaign.
He said, “Jatinder has carried his domestic form into the international stage, and that has been a huge boost for us. His contributions, along with other seniors like Aamir Kaleem, have given the team lot of confidence.”
The head coach, who also serves as Oman Cricket's Chief Development Officer, credited Oman’s spin attack of being instrumental in Oman’s dominating performance at home.
“Spinners like Shakeel Ahmed, Jay Odedra, and Samay Shrivastava have performed exceptionally well. Even experienced players of our opposition teams have struggled against our quality spin bowling attack,” he said.
However, Mendis acknowledged that the team’s fast bowling unit had suffered setbacks, following the absence of pace spearhead Bilal Khan due to injury.
“Bilal underwent surgery, but we’re hopeful he’ll return in time for our next tri-series in USA in May. Meanwhile, we have three or four promising young fast bowlers coming through,” he added.
The path forward
With 20 WCL 2 matches remaining, Mendis is focused on ensuring that Oman is well-prepared for the challenges ahead.
“Associate cricket is extremely competitive. It’s not just about talent but also about handling pressure in key moments. Our middle order, for example, is still adapting to international cricket. The gap between domestic and Associate-level cricket is significant, and exposure is the only way to bridge it,” he emphasised.
Mendis is keen on securing more bilateral series to provide the squad with valuable match practice ahead of their tour to USA in May.
“We are exploring options to play against stronger teams, either by traveling abroad or inviting them to Oman. Afghanistan A were potential opponents, but the schdeduling conflicts make it difficult to get the warm-up matches arranged. We’re also considering a tri-series with other teams,” he said.
Looking ahead, Oman will resume training in mid-March after a short break during the ongoing holy month Ramadan.
“We will focus on physical conditioning first when we begin our next domestic camp, followed by skill-specific training. We also plan to arrange overseas camps to give players experience in different playing conditions,” Mendis said.
Mental toughness
For Mendis, mental resilience is just as crucial as technical skill.
“When you’re playing for a World Cup spot, every game carries enormous pressure. The ability to absorb that pressure and make smart decisions separates top teams from the rest. Our younger players need to experience this firsthand,” he said.
Despite the long road ahead, Mendis remains confident about Oman’s chances of securing a top-four finish in WCL 2 and earning a place in the next stage of World Cup qualification, the Qualifier that will feature top four teams from WCL 2.
The head coach admitted that Oman have to get prepared to play in more challenging conditions as they have only one tri-series remaining at home, which means they have only four matches at home of the 20 remaining games. "We will prepare accordingly and I have the belief in the boys and we have the potential to finish among the top-four and qualify for the next stage," he said
“We have a well-balanced team, a strong spin attack, and a growing pool of young talent. With the right preparations and mindset, we can go all the way,” he signed off.
