Zimbabwe vs Oman Prediction: Oman has the sword hanging above them

Zimbabwe and Oman are going head to head against each other at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe on 29th June. This will be the first game of the second phase of the competition - The super Sixes. Zimbabwe has had good competition so far and they will be hoping for continuing that form into the next stage. Who will win this game?

The Zimbabwe team has been highly impressive in the competition, winning all four of their league-stage matches. Their recent victory against the United States of America was particularly remarkable, with a massive 304-run margin. Building on this success, the Zimbabweans aim to maintain their winning streak and further solidify their record in the competition. Playing on the home ground provides an advantage, as skipper Craig Ervine can leverage his knowledge of the conditions. The Zimbabwe team's most recent game was against the USA.

Opting to bat first, the Zimbabwe batsmen unleashed an onslaught against the USA bowling attack, amassing a formidable total of 408 runs for the loss of six wickets. Sean Williams played a sensational innings, smashing 174 runs off just 101 balls for Zimbabwe. To compound the USA's woes, the Zimbabwe bowlers delivered a clinical performance, dismissing the opposition for a paltry 104 runs. This colossal margin of 304 runs secured a resounding victory for Zimbabwe.

In addition to Williams, other batsmen made significant contributions to Zimbabwe's total. Joylord Gumbie scored 78 runs against USA team, while Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl added 48 and 47 runs respectively. Their collective efforts propelled Zimbabwe past the 400-run mark. The USA team struggled to find stability, with all the Zimbabwean bowlers making an impact. Richard Ngarava and Sikandar Raza claimed two wickets each in the recent game. 

Joylord Gumbie, Craig Ervine (c), Wesley Madhevere, Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Ryan Burl, Clive Madande (wk), Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava, Tendai Chatara, Blessing Muzarabani.

In their most recent match, the Oman team faced Scotland. Scotland batted first in the 16th game of the competition and scored 320 runs from their allotted 50 overs. In response, Oman managed to score 244 runs for the loss of 9 wickets within their allotted overs. Scotland's Brandon McMullen was awarded the Player of the Match for his outstanding performance. He scored 136 runs off 121 balls and also took one wicket for 15 runs. Additionally, he made two catches. Oman's Bilal Khan was the standout bowler, taking five wickets for 55 runs in his ten overs. Fayyaz Butt also contributed with two wickets for 68 runs in his ten overs, while Jay Odedra took one wicket in his five overs.

During Oman's innings, several batsmen made good starts but failed to convert them into substantial scores. The top scorer for Oman was Naseem Khushi, the wicketkeeper-batsman, who played an impressive inning of 69 runs from 53 balls, including three sixes and seven fours. The most significant partnership was between Naseem Khushi and Shoaib Khan, contributing 36 runs for the seventh wicket.

Oman encountered difficulties right from the start of their chase and found themselves struggling at 4 for 72. They continued to lose wickets regularly and were reduced to 120 for 6 before some resistance was shown by the batsmen. However, it was too late for a successful comeback. In the upcoming game, the Oman bowlers need to remain alert, as the Zimbabwean team is currently in excellent form with the bat. Key bowlers such as Fayyaz Butt and Bilal Khan will be crucial in taking early wickets.

Aqib Ilyas, Jatinder Singh, Kashyap Prajapati, Zeeshan Maqsood (c), Naseem Khushi (wk), Shoaib Khan, Ayaan Khan, Mohammad Nadeem, Bilal Khan, Fayyaz Butt, Jay Odedra.

The surface at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo has been described as a favourable batting pitch. Batsmen will have the freedom to play their shots, leading to high-scoring matches. While the pitch may not offer much assistance to fast bowlers, spinners have shown better performance on this track. They can exploit the sharp turn and variable bounce, creating difficulties for the batsmen. A total above 300 runs can be considered competitive on this pitch. The weather forecast for the game in Bulawayo indicates clear skies with partial sunshine and pleasant conditions. There is a possibility of some cloud cover and strong winds during the match. However, there is no chance of rain. Oman has the sword hanging above them if they lose this game, they will not be able to get into the ICC World cup in October. We expect Zimbabwe to win the game given their recent performances.