As the Asia Cup enters its fourth day,  giants Pakistan will face debutant Oman at the Dubai International Stadium tonight at 8 PM. This will be the first match of the tournament for both teams. Pakistan has won the trophy twice - in 2000 and 2012 and qualified for the final five times. Current world-class pacers like Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf can contribute to Pakistan, along with proven batsmen like Fakhar Zaman and rising star Saim Ayub.

For Oman, this will be a dangerous game, as they are a team playing without enough experience. But the all-rounder Aamir Kaleem and wicketkeeper-batter Hammad Mirza can make an impact against Pakistan.

Weather & Pitch Report

The Dubai International Cricket Stadium's pitch is precise and consistent, which makes it often suitable for both bowling and batting. In the early overs, seamers can make a movement off the ground due to the powerful new ball and unusual desert wind that helps with swing. Even spinners may play in the middle overs. For the batters, the pitch is fair. Once they recognized the bounce and the small square boundaries, they could bring their form to its limits. Even so, they need to be wary of the new ball early on, as it tends to falter under the lights.

Match Details

Probable Playing XI

Pakistan XI (Probable): Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Agha Salman (C), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (WK), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

Oman XI (Probable): Jatinder Singh (C), Aamir Kaleem, Hammad Mirza (WK), Mohammad Nadeem, Ashish Odedara, Vinayak Shukla, Aryan Bisht, Sufyan Mehmood, Samay Shrivastava, Shakeel Ahmed, Hassnain Shah

Head-to-Head Record

There has not previously been a T20 International clash between Oman and Pakistan. It will be the first-ever encounter.

Match Prediction & Top Performers 

As Oman takes its first step towards the Asia Cup, they are set to face a formidable Pakistan. If we look at the games so far, Pakistan has a wealth of experience and many records, so the chances of winning are high. The situation in Dubai is favourable for teams batting second, and with the average score in the first innings, Pakistan may decide to chase if they win the toss. This is a test of luck for Oman; they will learn a lot from this and look to move forward. Considering Pakistan, they have top bowlers and batters. Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf are able to take early wickets, and bowling deadly yorkers will control runs. Opener Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub can steady the innings with their aggressive batting. On the other hand, Oman will use Captain Jatinder Singh to anchor the innings. Also, Aamir Kaleem (All-rounder) and Hammad Mirza will play a vital role in the match.