Zimbabwe, Nepal and Oman registered impressive victories in their respective warm-up matches on Tuesday, producing several eye-catching individual performances as teams continued preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Zimbabwe beat Netherlands by 29 runs
Zimbabwe began their warm-up campaign on a positive note, defeating The Netherlands by 29 runs at the Premadasa Stadium.
Batting first, Zimbabwe posted a competitive 178 for 9, powered by a fluent half-century from Ryan Burl, who struck 50 off 31 balls, including six boundaries. Dion Myers also chipped in with a valuable 32, helping Zimbabwe recover after losing wickets at regular intervals.
For the Dutch side, Logan van Beek was the standout bowler, returning figures of 3 for 22 in his three-over spell.
In response, The Netherlands were bowled out for 149 off the final delivery, falling short despite some late resistance. Richard Ngarava led Zimbabwe’s bowling attack with an excellent spell of 3 for 11, while Graeme Cremer supported him with 2 for 15.
Van Beek tried to revive the chase with a brisk 40 off 31 balls, smashing three towering sixes, but Zimbabwe’s disciplined bowling ensured the target remained out of reach.
Nepal outclass UAE by seven wickets
In another warm-up clash at Chepauk, Chennai, Nepal delivered a commanding seven-wicket victory over UAE, thanks to a dominant unbroken partnership.
UAE, batting first, managed 145 for 6, with Sohaib Khan top-scoring with 38. Nepal’s bowling attack was led by Sandeep Lamichhane and Karan KC, who claimed two wickets each to restrict the scoring.
Nepal’s chase got off to a shaky start as they slipped to 45 for 3, losing experienced batters Kushal Bhurtel and captain Rohit Paudel early.
However, Dipendra Singh Airee and Aarif Sheikh turned the game decisively with a superb unbeaten 103-run stand for the third wicket. Airee smashed 50 not out off 31 balls, while Sheikh played a composed innings of 61 not out off 37 deliveries. The pair struck 12 fours and three sixes between them, guiding Nepal to victory with ease in just 17 overs.
Oman defeat Sri Lanka A in Colombo
In Colombo, Oman continued their strong warm-up form, defeating Sri Lanka A by five wickets with two overs to spare.
Sri Lanka A posted 145 for 9 after being put in to bat, with Shah Faisal, Shakeel Ahmed and Jay Odedra picking up two wickets each to keep the hosts in check.
Oman’s chase was headlined by a sensational knock from Aamir Kaleem, who remained unbeaten on 80 off 47 balls, hitting eight fours and three sixes. His composed yet aggressive innings ensured Oman crossed the finish line in the 18th over.
Key Takeaway
With the T20 World Cup approaching, these warm-up matches provided teams with valuable match practice and momentum. Zimbabwe’s bowling discipline, Nepal’s middle-order firepower and Oman’s batting depth all stood out as promising signs ahead of the tournament.