The International Cricket Council (ICC) aims to grow the sport but is not providing regular opportunities for associate nations in various formats. Oman captain Jatinder Singh highlighted the ICC’s inconsistent approach after Oman lost to Sri Lanka in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Oman struggled in the match, falling short by 105 runs while chasing a target of 226.
Sri Lanka excelled in both batting and bowling, achieving one of their most significant victories. Only two players from Oman managed to score in double digits, illustrating the considerable gap between the two teams. Smaller nations are included in international tournaments mostly to meet participant numbers, rather than for genuine competitive exposure.
Although Jatinder did not specify anyone, he expressed concern over the limited chances for his team. Interestingly, Oman is playing more One Day Internationals (ODIs) than T20 Internationals, despite knowing they need to compete in a T20 tournament.
“We can’t alter our skill levels. Our squad has only four or five players with over 40 T20I matches. There is a lack of experience as we aren’t included in the Future Tours Programme (FTP). We have few matches. We play ODIs but lack T20I games. Our coaches are doing their best to prepare us, but we cannot control everything. Gaining experience and exposure comes from playing,” he stated.
