Kuwait defeated Oman by three wickets in a thrilling encounter to finish second in the points table of the ILT20 Gulf Cricket Championship, securing a place in the final against the UAE on Saturday.
The closely contested win allowed Kuwait to edge past Saudi Arabia on net run rate, despite both teams finishing with six points from three victories each. Kuwait’s net run rate of 0.5245 proved decisive compared to Saudi Arabia’s -0.16663.
Batting first, Oman posted a competitive total of 143 for 8 in their 20 overs, with Vinayak Shukla anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 52 off 29 balls, including three sixes and three fours. Openers Karan Sonavale and Jatinder Singh contributed with a 50-run partnership, scoring 20 and 27 runs respectively.
Kuwait’s chase began on a shaky note, losing their openers in the first two overs with just 11 runs on the board. However, Meet Bhavsar steadied the innings with a brilliant knock of 63 off 46 balls. He shared a 47-run stand with Adnan Idrees, who scored 17, and later added 74 crucial runs with Muhammad Umar, who contributed 36 runs.
Though Kuwait faced a minor collapse in the final stages of their chase, they managed to cross the target with three balls to spare, finishing at 144 for 7.
In another match, Qatar registered their first win of the tournament by defeating Bahrain by six wickets. Despite the victory, Qatar ended at the bottom of the points table with two points, while Bahrain finished fifth with four points.
Sent in to bat, Bahrain were bundled out for 98 runs in just 16.3 overs. Captain Haider Ali top-scored with 27 runs, while Qatar’s bowlers shared the spoils, with Muhammad Jabir, Muhammad Ikramullah, and Muhammad Asim each claiming two wickets.
Qatar’s chase began positively, with openers Saqlain Arshad and Imal Liyanage adding 42 runs in six overs. Despite a brief collapse, Muhammad Asim remained unbeaten on 36, guiding his team to victory with three overs to spare.
The ILT20 Gulf Cricket Championship now heads to its final showdown, where Kuwait will face tournament favorites UAE in what promises to be an exciting contest.
