TimesofIndia.com in Abu Dhabi: There were heartwarming scenes after the India vs Oman match at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The Oman cricket team huddled around India captain Suryakumar Yadav, who gave them a pep talk. Everyone clapped after the former World No. 1 T20I batter spoke and then queued up for photos with him.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!"I am so thankful that he came and had a chat with the boys. He was just talking about the game, the faces, and how you have to play in T20s," Oman captain Jatinder Singh told reporters.
"The boys were just asking questions, having their Q&A with him, so that they have clarity of thought. He was really praising the team a lot," he added.
Oman fell short by 21 runs against India. Although the target always looked too stiff, Oman competed toe to toe with the reigning world champions in this format.
"I am extremely proud of the unit, as I have been saying from day one," Jatinder said.
"I think this was a perfect platform for them to see where they stand, and they did not hold anything back. They showed great character in front of the world’s No. 1 team. The boys will take a lot of positives out of it," he added.
The Oman captain also made an emotional plea to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to open the gates of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for his team, so they can improve as a unit and become more competitive.
"I think if we can get India to come forward, giving us the opportunity to make their home our home, we can train at the NCA, work on our skills, mental aspects, and fitness, and play a lot of T20s with club and Ranji teams. That will definitely help us and bridge the gap," he said.
Oman will now play in the T20 World Cup 2026 qualifier at home, starting October 1.
Get the latest ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 updates, including the full schedule, teams, live scores, points table, and key series stats such as top run-scorers and wicket-takers. Pratyush Raj is a cricket journalist with TOI Sports, specializin...
Read MorePratyush Raj is a cricket journalist with TOI Sports, specializing in all things cricket, both on and off the field. He began his career with the Business Standard before following his passion as a sports reporter for the Times of India in Chandigarh. Pratyush has also contributed to the sports coverage of India Today Group and his last stint was with The Indian Express. His love for sports was nurtured during his upbringing in flood-prone Saharsa, a district in North Bihar, where Cricket Samrat was his constant companion.
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