HARARE: Brandon King’s century after a tight bowling display lifted West Indies to claim a seven-wicket consolation victory over Oman in the ongoing Cricket World Cup (CWC) Qualifier Super Six.
Set to chase a modest target, West Indies amassed 222 runs for the loss of just three wickets with 62 balls to spare at the back of a calculated century by their opener King.
The former champions got off to an unwanted start to the pursuit as they lost their opener Johnson Charles (4) in the second over with just seven on the scoreboard.
West Indies, however, soon recovered from the early dismissal courtesy of a brilliant second-wicket partnership between King and Keacy Carty.
The pair batted sensibly on a challenging surface and added 80 runs before Carty got run out in the 17th over after scoring 29 off 49 deliveries with the help of three boundaries.
Skipper Shai Hope then joined King in the middle and further solidify West Indies’ command on the game as the duo added 97 runs before King perished briefly after completing his hundred.
He smashed 15 boundaries on his way to a 104-ball 100.
Hope, on the other hand, carried his bat all the way through and steered his side to the consolation victory after an unbeaten 39-run partnership with Nicholas Pooran, who scored 19 not out.
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West Indian captain remained unbeaten with a 65-ball 63 which featured four boundaries and two sixes.
Kaleemullah and Bilal Khan could pick a wicket apiece for Oman, who remained winless in the CWC Qualifier Super Six.
Put into bat first, Oman’s batting lineup struggled against a dominant West Indian bowling attack and could raise 222/9 in the allotted 50 overs.
Shoaib Khan and Suraj Kumar batted brilliantly and scored half-centuries, however, vile support from the rest of the batters barred the two from guiding his side to a competitive total.
Shoaib scored 50 from 54 balls, hitting five boundaries and a six while Suraj top-scored for Oman with an unbeaten 53 off 65 deliveries and struck as many boundaries.
Romario Shepherd led the bowling attack for the West Indies with 3/44, followed by Kyle Mayers who returned with 2/31.
It is worth mentioning here that the two-time champions West Indies have already been knocked out of contention to qualify for the ICC Men’s World Cup following their shocking defeat against Scotland in the CWC Qualifier Super Six.
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