Wholesome scenes were witnessed after the India versus Oman Group A fixture in the Asia Cup 2025 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi.
The Oman players formed a huddle around India skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who delivered a pep talk while lauding their efforts in the match.
Oman put up a fierce fight before falling short by 21 runsagainst the defending champions. After both teams wrapped up the post-match formalities, Suryakumar was approached and invited by Oman’s deputy head coach Sulakshan Kulkarni.
"After powerplay, any team will try to control the game. In that situation, the game that you have played, there are many things for any team to learn, including us. According to me, the energy and the vibe it is very important to maintain for each other. Like you were sitting together, no matter what is happening, if you are 60 for 5 or for no loss, that energy is spread," Suryakumar told the Oman team.
"See, each batter who comes, he will keep contributing. I always ask that outside the ground, the time you spend with each other and the effort you give, it reflects on the ground. As soon as someone scored 50, I saw everyone standing. No one was waiting. If someone was inside, that person also came out. According to me, this is one thing. I said a few things in the last press conference that are bigger than how you play," he added.
"This is the thing that makes the game bigger. You guys keep continuing this. After going out of the ground, you should feel like this. When you sleep, you should feel that we played our best cricket. We gave our best. Whether you win or lose, it will be decided on your attitude and culture. You guys showed your best. The result is in front of you. What more can I say?" said Suryakumar Yadav.
"This team is ready for the World Cup qualifier. The brand of cricket that you guys played, don't forget the taste of it. Remember that taste. When you wake up tomorrow, remember what brand of cricket we played. Remember this and keep moving forward," he concluded.
"I am so thankful that he came and had a chat with the boys. He was just talking about the game, the faces, and how you have to play in T20s," Oman captain Jatinder Singh told reporters.
"The boys were just asking questions, having their Q&A with him, so that they have clarity of thought. He was really praising the team a lot," he added.
Oman’s innings may have been restricted to 167/4 in the chase of 189, but Jatinder was proud of his team’s display.
"I am extremely proud of the unit, as I have been saying from day one," Jatinder said. "I think this was a perfect platform for them to see where they stand, and they did not hold anything back. They showed great character in front of the world’s No. 1 team. The boys will take a lot of positives out of it," he added.
The Oman captain also requested the BCCI to open the doors of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for his team, so they can improve as a unit and become more competitive.
"I think if we can get India to come forward, giving us the opportunity to make their home our home, we can train at the NCA, work on our skills, mental aspects, and fitness, and play a lot of T20s with club and Ranji teams. That will definitely help us and bridge the gap," Jatinder said.
