Pakistan could hardly have asked for an easier opening to their Asia Cup campaign than a clash against debutants Oman. If qualification had been staged this year instead of in 2024, Oman might not even have booked their ticket to the UAE. The squad that earned them entry 18 months ago looks very different from the one that will take the field against the two-time champions.

Oman’s preparations have been turbulent. Earlier this year, a pay dispute left players unpaid for their 2024 T20 World Cup participation. Although those arrears have now been settled, many of the experienced cricketers from that side have since moved on. More than half of their Asia Cup squad were not part of last year’s global event, and their most recent T20I action came in February, when they were swept 3-0 by the USA. On current form, building Oman up as a genuine threat to Pakistan — or India later in the group — seems ambitious.

Pakistan, in contrast, arrive with momentum after winning the tri-series final against Afghanistan and the UAE. While the tournament had its flaws, the defending champions underlined their strength with a ruthless dismantling of the UAE, wrapping up victory in just 106 deliveries. That efficiency offered a sharp contrast to the more competitive outings Oman managed against the same opposition. For Pakistan, the Oman fixture doubles as a tune-up for the blockbuster clash with India on Sunday.

One subplot is Pakistan’s bowling mix. During the tri-series league games, they rotated their quicks and relied on just one wristspinner. But in the final, both Sufiyan Muqeem and Abrar Ahmed were fielded, hinting at a possible strategy for Dubai’s spin-friendly pitches. This encounter offers a dry run of plans they may employ against India.

Still, Pakistan will not take Oman entirely lightly. Memories are fresh of their shock defeat to the USA in last year’s T20 World Cup — a loss that derailed their campaign before the India showdown. For a side with championship ambitions, avoiding another underdog upset is non-negotiable.

Team news

• Pakistan: Likely to field their strongest XI in Dubai before India.
  Probable XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (capt), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.

• Oman: With several senior players gone after the pay dispute, their line-up has a fresh look.
  Probable XI: Aamir Kaleem, Jatinder Singh (capt), Hammad Mirza, Mohammad Nadeem, Ayaan Khan, Aryan Bisht, Vinayak Shukla (wk), Shakeel Ahmad, Ashish Odedra, Hassnain Shah, Zikria Islam.