Ahmed Raza warns of changes after UAE capitulate against Oman in World Cup qualifying

National team succumb to second defeat against their Gulf neighbours in Dubai in Cricket World Cup League 2

Oman bowler Fayyaz Butt celebrates after taking the wicket of UAE's Chirag Suri during the Cricket World Cup League 2 match at the ICC Academy in Dubai, on Wednesday, March 9, 2022. All images by Chris Whiteoak / The National

UAE opener Chirag Suri hit 63 runs off 87 balls.

Oman bowler Khawar Ali celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of UAE's Vriitya Aravind for 29.

Vriitya Aravind batting for UAE.

UAE's Chirag Suri celebrates reaching 50.

Oman bowler Fayyaz Butt celebrates the wicket of UAE's Chirag Suri.

UAE's CP Rizwan after being run out for 15.

Oman fielder Kashyap Prajapati about to catch out UAE's Chirag Suri.

UAE bowler Zahoor Khan after taking the wicket of Oman's Naseem Khushi for one.

UAE captain Ahmed Raza.

Fayyaz Butt scored an unbeaten nine for Oman.

UAE's Zahoor Khan after bowling Oman batsman Ayaan Khan for 31.

UAE's Zahoor Khan after taking the wicket of Oman batsman Jatinder Singh for 11.

Khawar Ali scored 63 runs off 78 balls for Oman.

UAE fielder Chirag Suri catches out Oman's Naseem Khushi.

UAE's Zahoor Khan after taking the wicket of Oman batsman Jatinder Singh.

Oman opener Kashyap Prajapati on his way to 44 off 74 balls.

Ahmed Raza, the UAE captain, warned his misfiring batters they face the cut from the national team after another collapse cost them World Cup qualifying points against Oman.

The hosts lost out by eight runs to their Gulf neighbours at the ICC Academy in Dubai having failed to chase 222 to win.

Four days earlier, they had caved in against the same opposition, when they fell 12 short of a target of 226.

The pair of defeats mean Oman have extended their lead at the top of the Cricket World Cup League 2 table, while UAE have lost ground.

This time around, the home team were cruising on 99 for one in the 21st over, with Vriitya Aravind and Chirag Suri – who top scored with 63 – at the wicket.

They capitulated thereafter, in the face of some spirited fast bowling by Fayyaz Butt, but due in large part to poor strokeplay.

“I don’t think I can ask anything more of the bowlers, [but] the batters really need to step up,” Raza said.

“You can give a batter only so many chances. It is about time to think about changing personnel if things aren’t going your way.

“It is the same batters who are getting 20s and 30s every time, but are not converting those scores and turning it into a match-winning total.“You can score 50s, but if the team doesn’t win it doesn’t really matter in the end. Personal milestones don’t really count. It is about the team winning.

“Oman are a good team. They really fight hard, even with a modest total like that. But we really need to look hard at ourselves.

"We can’t be lacking so much in the table, because there is not so much between us, Namibia and Scotland.”

The league carries with it four places at the final qualifying tournament for the 2023 50-over World Cup in India.

Oman lead the table, with the UAE in third, although the table appears misshapen at present with Oman having played many more fixtures than the rest due to scheduling issues.

The UAE’s next match is against Namibia in Sharjah on Saturday, and Raza suggested it might be the last chance for some players to prove themselves.

“The games are coming thick and fast, and as the saying goes, if you can’t change the person, change the person,” Raza said.

“I hope it doesn’t come to that. They are the ones who won us games three or four weeks ago in Oman. It is time they stepped up. These are modest totals. We shouldn’t be getting all out on those wickets.”

Oman’s comeback was brought about by Fayyaz, a fast bowler who was returning to their one-day international side for the first time in three years.

Amid a vociferous verbal confrontation with a number of batters, he accounted for Suri, Basil Hameed, and took the final wicket of Junaid Siddique.

“It was a proud moment because I was playing for the first time in three years,” Fayyaz said.

“I was ready for this. I was laughing a lot with my coach [Duleep Mendis], who is like my godfather.

“My team was struggling, so I thought I needed to do some funny things to confuse the batsmen. After that, wickets, wickets, wickets, and we won, Alhamdulillah.”