Outclassed, but far from embarrassed, as one catch encapsulates why Oman belong at the T20 World Cup

Oman may have fallen 40 runs short of what would have been a shock boilover victory against the might of Australia, but it was one catch to dismiss Glenn Maxwell which showed why they belong, writes BEN HORNE.

Man Oman that was special.

The brave minnows might have been ultimately outclassed by a powerhouse Australia, but Oman proved they well and truly belong at this Twenty20 World Cup.

After serving it up to the Australians with one of the great pre-match press conferences, captain courageous Aqib Ilyas walked the walk as well when he held onto a screamer of a catch to get rid of Glenn Maxwell for a first-ball duck, which could easily end up the grab of the tournament.

It was a magical over, with Mehran Khan knocking Mitchell Marsh over from the previous delivery and having a shot at a hat-trick with Australia under genuine pressure at 3-52 after nine overs, thanks to Ilyas two-handed spekkie diving full-stretch to his left at cover.

Ilyas is the early nomination for character of the tournament.

The 31-year-old shared his emotional and inspirational story about being diagnosed with a tumour in his ankle back in 2021 and how he feared he wouldn’t survive the operation, or at least would have his leg amputated and never play cricket again.

Aaqib Ilyas has an inspirational story to tell. Picture: Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty Images

But here he is, after spending 12 months learning how to walk again, leading his country against cricket’s heavyweight team.

Ilyas wasn’t about to get all the way here and hold back when he had a chance to address the world on the eve of David meeting Goliath at Kensington Oval in Barbados.

Ilyas suggested Australia were vulnerable, and queried that with Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne snubbed by selectors, where are the Aussies with the proper batting techniques?

It was an audacious comment to make against a team that already holds the ODI World Cup, Test cricket World title and is vying to make it a historic Triple Crown in this Twenty20 tournament.

David Warner and Marcus Stoinis proved him wrong on this score, but Australia – the kings of confidence – would have nothing but respect for the fact Ilyas backed up his talk.

He bowled four overs of superb spin to go for just 18 and at one point was unlucky Warner didn’t raise his back foot for a stumping when he’d swung and missed at a perfect delivery.

Then later with the bat, when his team was already two wickets down in the power play, Ilyas refused to lay down – dispatching Marcus Stoinis for a cracking six over square leg and sending the lifeguard at the Kensington Oval pool bar ducking for cover.

With the bat and in the field Aqib Ilyas demonstrated the spirit of Oman. Picture: Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty Images

Ilyas attitude and confidence was infectious as the Omanis came to play.

Two-metre tall quick Kaleemullah was warned by umpires for an aggressive appeal in the second over of the innings, claiming an lbw that was never there, but showing that his team was here to wear its heart on its sleeve and not take a backward step.

Kaleemullah couldn’t help but give Warner a send-off when he ultimately dismissed him in the 19th over, even though by then the Australians had neutralised the danger.

There were serious doubts about how this ICC format that pitched associate nations against the big dogs would work, given the prospect of so many horribly lopsided matches.

But Oman’s spirit – led by a natural-born leader in Ilyas – more than justified their place and like Afghanistan, Ireland and the Netherlands before them … showed that Twenty20 World Cup cricket has the potential to one day become a genuine global contest.

Ilyas did not prove soothsayer in everything he said pre-match, but he did deliver this underlining message:

“Maybe even they might be able to learn something from us,” Ilyas said.

And he was right.