‘Another game for us, we don’t think we are going to play someone extraordinary’ – Oman skipper Aqib Ilyas ahead of Australia clash

Aqib Ilyas. (Photo Source: ICC)

In an impassioned and self-assured pre-match press conference on the eve of Oman’s T20 World Cup 2024 clash against Australia, marking their first encounter in the tournament which commenced a few days prior, Oman’s skipper, Aqib Ilyas, articulated his perspective. He asserted that once a player steps onto the field, the stature of renowned names becomes irrelevant; no one is superior. This is the mindset he urged his teammates to adopt when facing the formidable Australian side.

While making it unequivocally clear that his remarks were not intended to be disrespectful towards a team with a storied history of success in cricket, Ilyas emphasized that neither he nor the management had made any special mention of their high-profile opponents. Instead, he motivated his players to confront the challenge head-on, specifically encouraging them to aggressively target bowlers like Mitchell Starc. He envisioned the acclaim and recognition they would receive if they managed to disrupt the Australians, thus constantly inspiring them to embrace a fearless approach.

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Imagine someone taking on Starc…how much highlight he’ll get: Ilyas