'We don't get to play 140kph bowlers often' - Oman captain rues lack of full member practice after England defeat

England defeated Oman by eight wickets in the Group B game, boosting their NRR with a big win. After bowling Oman out for 47 in 13.2 overs, England then chased the runs down in just 19 deliveries.

Speaking after the match, Oman captain Ilyas said: "Nothing much to say, it was a big collapse. It was big exposure but there are still positives. With Associate teams, we don't get to play bowlers who bowl at 140kph [often].

"At the back of the mind, expecting a lot of pace is difficult. Some areas, the ball was there to hit, but they had fielders up in the ring. The batters didn't look uncomfortable but bad shot selection [cost us]. Hats off to them for putting pressure on the bowlers. They had to go for run rate.

"We have learned a lot [about] how we can get better. We competed in some areas. You learn where you stand, but we have to work hard."

Mark Wood and Jofra Archer each took three wickets in Oman's innings. Shoaib Khan (11 in 23 balls) was the only Oman batter to reach double figures.

Oman have now completed all of their group games and have been eliminated from the tournament after four defeats. Their difficult tournaments, along with the increased number of Associate Nations at the World Cup, has raised questions over how often the Associates get to play Full Members outside of ICC tournaments.

The USA recorded a memorable win over Pakistan in Group A, Scotland gave England a scare in the opening match of their campaign, and Canada beat Ireland. Equally, one-sided results have raised questions over the benefits Associates reap in development by playing more Full Member sides outside of ICC tournaments. 

Oman last played a Full Member side in July 2023 in the World Cup qualifier, where they lost to the West Indies, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, but beat Ireland.

Subscribe to the Wisden Cricket YouTube channel for post-match analysis, player interviews, and much more.