India vs Oman Live Updates, Asia Cup 2025: IND try to fine-tune tactics and playing XI before Super 4s begin

Oman have had a disappointing tournament thus far, two losses from two and not much hope of overcoming India to reverse that trend. After seeming to be on an upward trajectory as they qualified into this tournament, the pay dispute within their cricket administration meant all that momentum fell apart and left them scratching together a unit to compete in the UAE. For this underdog team, this match might just be more about exposure, about trying to find some form of confidence, before their bigger challenge next month: the Asia-Pacific qualifiers for the 2026 T20 World Cup, which will take place next month in Oman. Ensuring they have the right pieces in place ahead of that crucial qualification tournament will be the key, and they will want to ensure they don’t go down without the sort of fight they can be proud of.

They will face the team that has looked and is on paper by far the strongest team in this tournament, with India looking a class apart as they made quick work of the UAE before brushing past Pakistan in that controversial and heated encounter on Sunday evening. India’s ambitions in this match might just come down to giving their players time in the middle – if Suryakumar Yadav wins the toss, he will want to bat first and ensure that he is able to give the likes of Sanju Samson and Hardik Pandya time in the middle, with neither having faced a single delivery so far this tournament, as well as potentially Axar Patel lower down the order to hone his finishing skills if that is the role he has to play.

Jasprit Bumrah might be put on ice ahead of the tougher competition that awaits in the Super 4s – and this is no slight to Oman, given the workload concerns that already surround India’s main strike bowler. Equally, in the spin department, helping Varun Chakravarthy find some rhythm will be something he has in mind: while Kuldeep Yadav has looked absolutely sensational with ball in hand, and almost unplayable at times, with Axar Patel giving him excellent support, Varun hasn’t quite shown up. Indian fans know what he is capable of and the magical spark he can provide, so the expectation will be for him to find that space a spinner occupies sooner rather than later.

And of course, as always, even if it is a tiny, tiny chance, the chance of an upset remains on the cards. Even Indian fans might want to see Oman step up with something special and just challenge their team a little bit, push them hard and get them into the zone before the Super 4s. A strong Oman performance will be good news for everyone involved, including the Indian players themselves.

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