T20 World Cup 2021 | Scotland beat Oman to top Group B in Round 1, to join India and Pakistan in Super 12s

Scotland thrashed Oman by 8 wickets on Thursday to top the Group B points table in Round 1 and enter the Super 12 Stage of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE and Oman. Scotland won three out of their three matches and will join India, Pakistan, New Zealand and Afghanistan in Super 12 Group 2.

Richie Berrington provided a glorious finish to an already astonishing Scottish campaign by hitting a powerful six over midwicket on the last delivery of the 17th over. Scotland will now play their first match in the Super 12 stage on October 27 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. India will face the European team on November 5 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. 

Post the win, Scotland captain Kyle Coetzer said that his time was going into a "tougher" but "exciting group". He promised that Scotland are going to give their best in all their matches against the big boys. 

"It's a great feeling. Congratulations to Zeeshan and Oman, they have been great. It's the opportunity to play at the biggest stage and you get to play the best of the best. The following back home has been immense. We have been through thick and thin in the last few years and guys have put in a lot of hard work to keep developing their game and the coaching staff has done an excellent job as well. As far as I'm aware, we are going into a slightly tougher team and there's no reason to fear. It's gonna be an exciting group, we will go into every game full of hope and will give our best. Someone going and getting a big score, Berrington did that in the last game and I guess we dropped a couple of catches and our bowling up front and at the death has been excellent, Mark Watt has been excellent. We will find time to celebrate just a little bit," Coetzer said. 

Man of the Match Josh Davey, who picked picked three wickets in the match, said that the Scotland were to catch an early flight on Friday but there was still room for some celebration on a "great day for Scottish cricket". 

"It's a great day for Scottish cricket. We have an early flight, so not too much, but there will be some celebration. It was a great occasion to showcase my skills, had some luck with the ball going to the fielders but we'll take it. The side has a lot of bases covered and the belief is there and we can cause some upset. T20 is about momentum, and if we carry it forward, we can do great things. There are some great teams in Group B and it will be a great opportunity to play against them," Davey said. 

Earlier in the match, after opting to bat first, local favourites Oman dealt with early blows as opener Jatinder Singh departed for a golden duck and Kashyap Prajapati followed after getting dismissed by Safyaan Sharif in the third over. A 38-run partnership between Aqib Ilyas (37) and Mohammad Nadeem (25) brewed, taking the team's total past 50 runs. Ilyas departed in the 10th over and procession of shorts started all over again. Wickets kept on falling in front of a very disciplined Scotland bowling line-up as Oman were bundled out for 122 in 20 overs. Josh Davey (3/25), Safyaan Sharif (2/25) and Michael Leask (13/2) were the architect of Oman collapse. 

Scotland were dominant in the run-chase courtesy a brisk start from their openers George Munsey (21) and captain Kyle Coetzer (41). Wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Cross (26*)  and Richie Berrington (31*) capitalised on the momentum to hand their team an 8-wicket win with 18 balls to spare.