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Bridgetown, Barbados: June 6, 2024 - Australia kicked off their T20 World Cup campaign with a hard-fought 39-run victory over Oman, overcoming a sluggish pitch and a shaky start.
Opting to bat first, the Aussies struggled for fluency on a gradual surface. David Warner (fifty six) and Travis Head (12) supplied a careful beginning stand, but wickets fell at normal durations for the duration of the powerplay (37/1 after 6 overs). Mitchell Marsh (14) and Glenn Maxwell (0) succumbed cost effectively, leaving Australia in a gap of trouble.
However, the turning point arrived with the access of Marcus Stoinis (67*). The all-rounder displayed a masterclass in electricity-hitting, smashing a 36-ball fifty with 4 sixes in a single over. Warner, at the opposite give up, anchored the innings with a composed fifty. Their 102-run stand for the fourth wicket propelled Australia to a first rate total of 164/5.
Oman started out their chase brightly, but Mitchell Starc's pinpoint yorker brushed off opener Pratik Athavale early. Stoinis persisted his stellar performance, picking up 3 wickets for just 19 runs. Oman skipper Aqib Ilyas (18) confirmed a few resistance, but wickets endured to tumble. The entire Oman batting order struggled to evolve to the gradual pitch, with five batsmen failing to reach double digits.
Australian bowlers shared the spoils, with Starc, Nathan Ellis, and Adam Zampa choosing up two wickets every. While Josh Hazlewood and Maxwell remained wicketless, their reasonable bowling saved the stress on Oman.
A minor scare emerged inside the fifteenth over when Starc received treatment from the physio after experiencing discomfort. However, he returned to complete his spell.
Australia's victory marks a solid start to their World Cup campaign. While their batting to start with sputtered, Stoinis' brilliance and a collective bowling effort secured the win. Oman, no matter a valiant effort, were not able to chase down the goal on a hard floor.