Pakistan began their Asia Cup campaign with a convincing 93-run victory over Oman in Abu Dhabi, but the result did little to hide concerns about their fragile batting. After posting 160 for seven against a modest bowling attack, it was their spinners who carried the night, ripping through Oman’s line-up to seal an emphatic win.
The spin department stood out with skill and variety. Saim Ayub offered unorthodox off-spin with carrom balls, while Mohammad Nawaz kept things tight with his left-arm accuracy. Abrar Ahmed’s mix of leg-breaks and googlies troubled the batters, and Sufiyan Muqeem’s left-arm wrist spin provided further control. Together, the quartet claimed six wickets for just 40 runs in 11.4 overs, leaving only scraps for the pacers to finish off. Their effort gave Pakistan a dominant start to the tournament.
Yet, despite the comfortable margin, the batting display raised serious concerns ahead of the high-voltage clash with India. Except for Mohammad Haris, who struck a spirited 66, most of the top order faltered. Haris’s aggressive stroke play kept Pakistan afloat, but his dismissal, a careless inside edge onto the stumps, highlighted the poor decision-making that plagued the innings. Fakhar Zaman chipped in with some late boundaries, while Hasan Nawaz’s quick 19 gave a brief push, but overall, the batting lacked fluency and conviction.
Sahibzada Farhan struggled for timing, crawling to 29 off as many balls with only one boundary, while captain Salman Agha’s tame dismissal to a simple full toss left the dressing room frustrated. Oman’s bowlers were disciplined but hardly threatening, which only made Pakistan’s collapse in patches more worrying.
The victory may suggest Pakistan are building momentum, but the cracks in their batting remain hard to ignore. Against India, where they will face the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav, such errors could prove costly. Recent improvements had raised hopes, yet this inconsistent performance has revived doubts about their ability to challenge top teams