Oman all-rounder Sufyan Mehmood has made a bold statement, just over a week ahead their clash against Suryakumar Yadav-led India in T20 Asia Cup 2025. Mehmood said that beating Oman will not be a cakewalk as they are in good form of late and capable of making a strong impact in the tournament.
“In terms of preparation, when you play such games, you have to be fearless because there’s nothing to lose. To showcase your talent, you must remove the fear factor. Hopefully, we can challenge both sides and ensure it won’t be an easy cakewalk for them,” Mehmood said while responding to India Today’s query in a press conference.
“If we continue playing good cricket, as we are right now, I’m confident we can even cause an upset. It may sound like a bold statement, but I genuinely believe that with our current form, we can make a strong impact in this tournament. We are staying positive about it,” he added.
Oman will not feature a few regulars in the squad due to contract disputes with the Oman Cricket Board that followed by after T20 World Cup 2024 in West Indies and USA. But, Mehmood is ready to leave his dream of facing India and Pakistan.
"Personally, this tournament holds immense value for us in our careers. Ever since we started playing cricket, we dreamed of competing against the giants of world cricket. Every moment of this tournament will be historic for us, especially in these two matches,” Mehmood said.
Mehmood’s T20I record
33-year-old Mehmood is a medium pacer who has played 14 T20Is and taken eight wickets at an average of 33.37. His economy rate is 33.37. The left-handed batter has 107 runs from seven innings at an average of 17.83, including one half-century.
Oman’s schedule for T20 Asia Cup 2025
Oman are yet to face India and Pakistan in the T20Is. But, they have four wins out of nine games against UAE.
The Jatinder Singh-led Oman will begin their campaign against Pakistan in Dubai on September 12. Then, they will go to Abu Dhabi and face UAE. They will come back to Dubai and lock horns with India in their last group stage game.