Asia Cup 2025 Match 4 Highlights and Analysis: Pakistan Crush Oman by 93 Runs, Yet Batting Still a Big Concern

Pakistan displayed a masterful performance to defeat Oman by 93 runs in the Asia Cup 2025 match on Tuesday at the Dubai International Creek Stadium. Batting first, Pakistan scored 160/7 in 20 overs. Even though Pakistan lost two early wickets in the first three overs of the game, but Fakhar Zaman was able to stabilize the innings with 23 not out, and the moment came from Mohammad Haris with his domination of Oman with 66 runs off 43 deliveries. Oman bowled pretty well, take nothing away from their effort. Their bowlers, Shah Faisal and Aamir Kaleem, took three wickets that kept Pakistan score within the 160. 

The captain Sahibzada Farhan provided a good start on a good pitch, scoring 29 before getting out just as the innings started to gain some momentum with Mohammad Haris taking over with his aggressive striking with seven boundaries and three sixes to raise the ire of the Oman players. In the middle overs, Pakistan were losing wickets in clusters but, still managed to get to a total score worth competing against. It took contributions from Faheem Ashraf and Shaheen Afridi at the end of their innings to keep Pakistan reach 160 which will prove difficult for Oman to chase down.

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In response, Oman batting order collapsed under the pressure exerted by a world-class Pakistan bowling attack. The Oman batters struggled to get going and wickets fell regularly. Hammad Mirza battled well and scored 27 runs from 23 balls and did not receive support from the other end. The rest of Oman batting unit encountered problems with the swing and spin of the Pakistan bowlers. Oman were bowled out for 67 runs in 16.4 overs, well short of the target.

Pakistan bowling starred against Oman 

Pakistan's bowlers were merciless, with each bowler playing their part in the collapse. Saim Ayub got the ball rolling, dismissing both openers cheaply in the first 8 overs of the innings, and in the middle overs, Sufiyan Muqeem and Abrar Ahmed continued to apply pressure. Faheem Ashraf took a couple of wickets and coupled with Shaheen Afridi's express pace ended Oman's innings in no time. Sufiyan Muqeem was the most impressive bowler, returning figures of 3-0-7-2 at a staggering economy rate of 2.30. Shaheen Afridi and Faheem Ashraf also finished with two wickets each and left Oman with no answer. 

This comprehensive victory gave Pakistan their first victory of the Asia Cup 2025, and will significantly help their net run rate moving forward. Mohammad Haris was also the stand-out performer with the bat, but Pakistan's bowling group worked as a unit, to provide a clinical performance. Oman would take home some things to work on on their first-ever showing in the Asia Cup, which would help them understand the gap between themselves and the stronger teams. Pakistan will want to use this moment and grow their momentum as they look to advance to the Super 4 region

CricketWinner's analysis about PAK vs OMA, 4th Match, Asia Cup 2025

Pakistan recorded a solid victory over Oman by 93 runs but the match demonstrated more than the bowling prowess of the Pakistan side, there are batting concerns that should have caught coach Mickey Arthur's attention. After winning the toss and electing to bat, the team only managed to score 160/7 batting on a Dubai surface that was exceptionally good for batsmen. Mohammad Haris' knock of 66 was the only bright spot, and the middle order collapsed with minimal pressure on them. With performances like this, it's raising alarms, as when Pakistan pitches their bowler against stronger teams like India chasing small totals, those teams will not falter. Unless Pakistan can find some proper stability in the batting order then their hopes of winning the title may rapidly unravel against some of the best teams. 

On the other hand, the bowling, which has always been Pakistan's biggest trump card, was nothing short of spectacular. Shaheen Afridi's speed, along with Saim Ayub and spinners such as Sufiyan Muqeem, decimated Oman who bowled out for 67. The attack looked sharp, disciplined, and ruthless and capable of winning matches on their own accord. However, putting too much pressure on the bowling side is going to come back to haunt them in high chasing games. If Pakistan is to be serious about progressing in the Asia Cup, they are going to have their bowling perform on an elite level and their batting is going to have to perform more consistently and without hesitation.