All-rounder Marcus Stoinis praised his teammate David Warner after the pair played crucial roles in Australia’s 39-run victory over Oman in the T20 World Cup, thanks to their 102-run partnership. After opting to bat, Oman initially controlled the game, especially when Glenn Maxwell was dismissed for a golden duck. Australia was struggling at 50/3 by the 9th over, but Stoinis and Warner stabilized the innings, leading their team to a competitive score of 164/5. Warner took a cautious approach, while Stoinis aggressively targeted the bowlers to maintain a healthy run rate.
“I’m happy with how I finished, it was very tough. He (Warner) showed his experience at the top of the order every game and he is class apart. He spent time in the middle and didn’t panic, he did what was right for the team. We were going to accelerate regardless and if you get one or two boundaries at the start, you target that over. Nothing outright but that’s part of a game plan,” Stoinis said during the mid-innings break.
This foundation allowed Australia’s bowlers to shine, with Mitchell Starc setting the tone for their defense of 165 runs. Stoinis also excelled with the ball, taking three wickets in his three-over spell. The team began their campaign with a win on a challenging surface that favored spinners and occasionally supported pacers.
Stoinis commented on the pitch, noting, “Nice start, we got the win and boys spent some time in the middle and everyone got to bowl. I was trying to soak up the conditions and keep it simple. A couple kept low and a couple were spinning for the spinners. It seemed like swing wasn’t available, and I was trying to get some bounce with cross-seam deliveries.”
Following their victory, Australia will next face England on Saturday at the Kensington Oval, Barbados.
