In a pulsating showdown at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground, the USA Cricket team beat Oman in their inaugural T20 clash, with 20-year-old Saiteja Mukkamalla blazing his way to an unbeaten century that clinched the win with one over remaining. After winning the toss, the Americans opted to bowl first, putting Oman under early pressure. The Omani openers, Amir Kaleem and Jatinder Singh, set the stage with a dynamic 77-run partnership.
Kaleem dazzled with an unbeaten 72 off 50 balls—featuring 11 boundaries at a striking rate of 144—while Singh chipped in with 28 runs from 20 deliveries, bolstered by five fours and a six.
Strike force unleashed: Saiteja Mukkamalla and company carve crucial breakthroughs
In the bowling department, Harmeet Singh emerged as a pivotal figure for USA. Over the course of his four overs, he claimed three key wickets—removing Jatinder Singh, Vinayak Shukla, and Hassnain Ali Shah—even though he conceded 37 runs in his spell. His determined efforts were further supported by the contributions of Nosthush Kenjige and Steven Taylor, who each picked up a wicket, collectively helping to destabilize Oman’s batting lineup and restrict their scoring opportunities.
When the American side took to the crease, the early phase of their innings presented a minor hiccup. The team lost opener Steven Taylor in the powerplay after he managed just 6 runs from 10 balls, falling to a sharp delivery from Omani pacer Sufyan Mehmood. Despite this setback, the USA looked to stabilize their innings. Wicketkeeper Andries Gous stepped up, ensuring no further early collapses by contributing a composed 28 off 21 balls, keeping the run chase on track.
The defining moment of the match came when Saiteja Mukkamalla stormed in. The young prodigy dazzled the spectators with an explosive, unbeaten century—100 runs off only 48 balls. His innings was a masterclass in aggression, with seven boundaries and an equal number of sixes, pushing his strike rate to an astonishing 208.33. Mukkamalla’s scintillating performance shifted the momentum completely in favor of USA, infusing the team with much-needed energy and confidence.
Supporting his heroics, Monank Patel contributed a brisk 27 from 22 balls, punctuated by three crisp fours. Aaron Jones then delivered a finishing flourish, scoring 25 off 14 balls that included two fours and two sixes, registering an impressive strike rate of 178.57. Their collective efforts enabled the USA to comfortably chase down the target of 194 with one over remaining.
On the flip side, Oman’s bowlers struggled to contain the American onslaught. Aside from Sufyan Mehmood, Aamir Kaleem, and Mohammad Nadeem—each picking up a solitary wicket—their efforts fell short as USA’s batsmen dominated the proceedings throughout the match.