Kerala senior men’s team makes a great start to Oman tour

Thiruvananthapuram: According to a statement from the Kerala Cricket Association, the senior men’s team from Kerala had an incredible start to their tour to Oman, defeating the Oman Chairman’s XI by an exciting four wickets in the first game.

In a thrilling match, Rohan Kunnummal, Salman Nizar, and Shaun Roger all put on outstanding performances as Kerala chased down a huge goal of 327 with five balls remaining.

The Oman Chairman’s XI, batting first, amassed a commanding 326 in 50 overs. With a partnership of 137 runs, openers Jatinder Singh and Aamir Kaleem established a strong base.

Aamir contributed 73 off 68 deliveries, while Jatinder wowed with a spectacular 150 from 136 balls.

The spinners from Kerala, however, rallied after Aamir was removed, successfully eliminating the remainder of the batting order and limiting scoring.

Despite the fast start, Oman’s score was kept under control by the outstanding bowling performances of Eden Apple Tom and Kerala’s MD Nidheesh, who each took four wickets.

In response, Rohan Kunnummal and Ahmad Imran opened the batting, giving Kerala’s pursuit a respectable start.

With a vital 146-run third-wicket partnership, Rohan and Salman Nizar stabilized the score even though Mohammed Azharuddeen and Ahmad Imran were both dismissed in the same over.

With his cool-headed century of 122 off 109 balls, which included 12 fours and 4 sixes, Rohan took the lead.

Salman Nizar contributed a significant 87 runs. Shaun Roger seized the lead with a smooth 56 off 48 balls after Rohan was dismissed.

Even though Kerala lost a few fast wickets in the closing stages, Akshay Manohar and Sharafuddeen remained composed and led the team to an unforgettable victory.

Hussain Ali Shah, who claimed four wickets, was Oman’s best bowler. The next game for Kerala on the Oman trip is set for April 23.