Haris and bowlers help Pakistan rout Oman in Asia cup
Mohammad Haris hit a return-to-form half-century before bowlers routed Oman as Pakistan opened their Asia Cup campaign with a 93-run win over Oman in Dubai on Friday.
Haris anchored the innings with a 43-ball 66 spiced with seven boundaries and three sixes as Pakistan scored a below-par 160 for seven against the Asia Cup first-timers.
But spinners Sufiyan Muqeem (2-7) and Saim Ayub (2-8) and seamer Faheem Ashraf (2-6) atoned for unimpressive batting as Oman, comprising of six expats from Pakistan, folded for 67 in 16.4 overs.
⚡ Dream start! @SaimAyub7 strikes with the very first ball, then adds another wicket on the first ball of his second over 🎯#PAKvOMAN | #AsiaCup2025 | #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/EbbjbOlo3r
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 12, 2025
Hammad Mirza top-scored with 27 off 23 balls, which contained a six and three boundaries.
Earlier, Oman's spinner Aamir Kaleem (3-31) and pacer Shah Faisal (3-34) kept Pakistan batters under control.
It was Haris who helped Pakistan, who won the toss and batted, with his second score of over fifty in T20Is.
Haris added a damage-repairing 85 for the second wicket with Sahibzada Farhan after Faisal dismissed Ayub with the second ball of the innings.
Pakistan complete formalities with a thumping win! ✌️
— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) September 12, 2025
Led by Haris & powered by lower order cameos, 🇵🇰 had a score on the board their bowlers had no problems defending. #PAKvOMAN #DPWorldAsiaCup2025 #ACC pic.twitter.com/wYdhkpS2HK
Farhan scored a run-a-ball 29 with one boundary.
Faisal also dismissed Hasan Nawaz (nine) and Mohammad Nawaz (19) to cap an impressive T20I debut.
Pakistan added 49 in the last five overs, with Fakhar Zaman remaining unbeaten on a 16-ball 23.
Pakistan now face arch-rivals India in a high-voltage group A match in Dubai on Sunday.
Bangladesh play Sri Lanka in a group B match in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
OMAN: Aamir Kaleem, Jatinder Singh (capt), Hammad Mirza, Vinayak Shukla (wkt), Hassnain Shah, Shah Faisal, Mohammad Nadeem, Zikria Islam, Sufyan Mehmood, Shakeel Ahmed, Samay Shrivastava
PAKISTAN: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (capt), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wkt), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed
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