Bridgetown, Jun 5 (IANS): As Oman readies itself to face cricketing powerhouse Australia at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Thursday, captain Aqib Ilyas delivered a stirring message to his team to forget the "big names and focus on the game."
On the eve of the match, Ilyas addressing the media in the press conference emphasised that treating the contest like any other match is crucial for Oman to be competitive.
"Once you step into the field, there is no big name, there is no one bigger than you at the field. It's another game for us and we don't think that we are going to play someone extraordinary," said Ilyas.
Australia, fresh off their World Test Championship (WTC) and ODI World Cup victories, aims to be the first side to hold global trophies across all three formats. Yet Ilyas remains undaunted, encouraging his team to view Australia as just another opponent on the field.
"I don't have to go and tell them as a captain that you are going to face (Mitchell) Starc. Already it comes to your mind when you are playing some top bowlers or top cricketers. So it's been very positive from the management and also from the coach, he said we don't even take their names - it's just a team that has come and still they are at the same level what we are doing.
"We have also qualified, they have also qualified, one team is going to be the champion so it doesn't make much difference, though we respect them [and] what they have done in the past. That is why they are named as world champions. No doubt there are big names, but to our boys, what I say is if they take on Starc tomorrow, imagine someone taking on Starc or any of the top bowlers, how much highlight he will get," Ilyas said.
Oman already has experience at Kensington Oval, having played a low-scoring thriller against Namibia, where they lost in a Super Over. The tricky surface, which offered uneven bounce and spin, could be a leveler against Australia. A fresh pitch is expected for the upcoming game, but Ilyas believes conditions could still favor his team's spinners.
"You see the last match, how the ball was turning and staying low," he said. "(Australia) had a few good technique players (against spin) in the past like (Steven) Smith and (Marnus) Labuschagne but I don't think they have many now. They look to hit big. Everyone tries to go for sixes but every day it is not the same day and if the same wicket is there, maybe it can be a problem for them.
Ilyas pointed out that even teams with powerful hitters, like the West Indies, struggled on slow tracks against quality spin, as seen in their match against Papua New Guinea. "As you could see PNG bowling against West Indies, (it was) difficult to chase 130 runs even having (some) of the biggest hitters in the side.
"So, on a slower track, on a slow wicket, with good quality spinners, (the) only thing is we have to play with the big heart and we have to put it on the right areas. It's just about the areas because the ball doesn't know how big the batsman in front of it [is]. If it turns a bit, it stays low or anything happens, the batsman is gone."
Ilyas emphasised the respect his team holds for their opponents but reiterated the importance of mental strength. "Before the game, it's a tactical thing, it comes down to your mind, so we have to be mentally strong. After the game, obviously, they are top players and there is a lot we can learn from them, even they might learn from us also," he said.
Oman will face Australia in Group B match at Barbados on Thursday.