Australia vs Oman 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup Match 10

The reigning TEST and ODI champions Australia open their ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 campaign against a spirited Oman side at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados on June 6 at 6:00 AM IST. The Aussies have played some great T20 cricket since the start of the calendar year, winning five of their six matches in 2024 so far. This includes a 2-1 victory against the West Indies at home and a 3-0 clean sweep against New Zealand in late February. Australia had only nine of their squad available for their warm-up matches in Trinidad. Finally, the whole squad assembled on the weekend, just a few days before their T20 World Cup 2024 opener against Oman. However, this is a highly experienced group of players who know what to do to prepare for the tournament. On the other side, Oman was the first team to arrive in the West Indies, landing in Barbados on May 14. The squad has maximized their time in the West Indies by playing three practice matches and two ICC warm-up matches. They secured a win over Papua New Guinea and had a washout against Afghanistan.

Reigning TEST and ODI champs Australia open their T20 World Cup campaign against a spirited Oman side

The 2021 champions played two warm-up matches, both in Trinidad, but were severely undermanned in both, with players arriving in the Caribbean on the back of a busy IPL 2024 season. Despite this, they defeated Namibia by six wickets and lost to West Indies by 35 runs. On the flip side, Oman suffered a heartbreaking loss in their 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup opener against Namibia, making a comeback after scoring only 109 runs before eventually losing in a Super Over. 

The Oman cricket team displayed excellent form after the Asian Cricket Council Premier Cup in April, securing victory in five consecutive matches before facing a defeat against the UAE in the final. The ACC Premier Cup is a T20 tournament for the second-tier Asian nations to compete in, featuring teams such as Nepal, Kuwait, and Hong Kong. This will be Oman's third appearance in the T20 World Cup 2024, following their previous participations in 2016 and 2021. It is their first time playing in the group stage, as the World Cup qualifiers round for lower-ranked nations has been removed for this edition.

AUS vs OMA Match 10: Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados Weather and Pitch Report

Spin will likely play a significant role at Kensington Oval, as history shows that slower bowlers are the most effective in Bridgetown. Early looks at the surface indicate a very dry surface despite a decent amount of rain in the preceding days. The opening game of defending champions England against Scotland in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, was washed out due to rain in Barbados. Australia has a 2-4 record at the iconic coastal venue but has only played here once in the format since losing the T20 World Cup final in 2010. Oman's first official game in the West Indies, let alone in Barbados, was their opening match against Namibia, which they lost in a Super Over. But Captain Aqib Ilyas says his side feels comfortable with what they've played on so far.

Predicted Australia Playing XI

While there is a high possibility that we could see Australia tinker with their XI throughout the group stage, a pretty standard lineup would be the safe play in the T20 World Cup 2024 opener against Oman on Thursday. The Barbados pitch appeared more suitable for spinners than fast bowlers, so Ashton Agar may be considered by the Australian management. Australia captain Mitchell Marsh stands out as a key player. He is currently recovering from a hamstring injury and will not be bowling in the first half of the tournament. However, his batting prowess in the No.3 position can instantly turn the tide of a match.

AUS Playing XI

David Warner, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh (C), Glenn Maxwell, Tim David, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (WK), Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

Mitch Marsh (C), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (WK), David Warner, Adam Zampa.

Predicted Oman Playing XI

It was a close defeat for Oman against Namibia. The bowlers did a tremendous job defending only 109, while the batters struggled on a tricky pitch. Oman's attack will be led by veteran Bilal Khan, who has built a terrific record over his decade-long international career. The 37-year-old left-arm fast bowler has taken more than 200 international wickets and remains a crucial player for his team. He was handed the responsibility of bowling the Super Over against Namibia and conceded 21 runs, so he'll be desperate to deliver a strong performance against the mighty Aussies.

OMA Playing XI

Kashyap Prajapati, Naseem Khushi (WK), Aqib Ilyas (C), Zeeshan Maqsood, Khalid Kail, Ayaan Khan, Mohammad Nadeem, Mehran Khan, Shakeel Ahmad, Kaleemullah, Bilal Khan

Kashyap Prajapati, Pratik Athavale (WK), Aqib Ilyas (C), Zeeshan Maqsood, Khalid Kail, Mehran Khan, Mohammad Nadeem, Ayaan Khan, Rafiullah, Shakeel Ahmed, Shoaib Khan, Bilal Khan, Fayyaz Butt, Kaleemullah, Naseem Khushi.