Pakistan vs Oman – Asia Cup 2025 Preview & Predictions

Date: September 12, 2025

Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai

Time: 8:00 PM IST

Pakistan open their Asia Cup 2025 campaign against debutants Oman, in what’s expected to be a warm-up of sorts—but don’t discount the pressure. With a big clash against India coming up, Pakistan want momentum. Oman enters with dreams of upsetting the bigger side and making their mark in the tournament.

Table of Contents

Match Context & Stakes

Pakistan are riding high after winning the UAE Tri-Series (with Afghanistan and UAE in the mix). Momentum is definitely on their side. The Financial Express+1
Oman are making their Asia Cup debut, looking to show they belong. It’s a chance for them to test themselves against stronger opposition. The Economic Times+2Crictoday+2
Key for Pakistan: perform well without their senior batters like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, because both are missing. Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, and the spin department (Mohammad Nawaz et al.) will have to step up. The Economic Times+2Crictoday+2

Pitch & Conditions

Dubai’s pitch tends to be dry; stroke play possible early, but as the match progresses, spin often becomes a factor. CricTracker+2Crictoday+2
Seaming movement might help at the start, especially with the new ball, but expect Pakistan to lean heavily on spinners as middle overs roll on. CricTracker+1

Probable Playing XIs

Pakistan (Probable):
Saim Ayub; Sahibzada Farhan; Fakhar Zaman; Salman Ali Agha (c); Mohammad Haris (wk); Hasan Nawaz; Mohammad Nawaz; Abrar Ahmed; Shaheen Afridi; Haris Rauf; Hasan Ali The Economic Times+1

Oman (Probable):
Jatinder Singh (c); Aamir Kaleem; Hammad Mirza; Mohammed Nadeem; Ashish Odedera; Vinayak Shukla; Aryan Bisht; Shakeel Ahmad; Sufyan Mehmood; Hassnain Shah; others The Economic Times+2Cricket Addictor+2

Key Players to Watch

For Pakistan:
- Mohammad Nawaz – Coming off a strong tri-series; many expect him to dominate in spin-friendly conditions. The Economic Times+1
- Shaheen Afridi – His experience and pace upfront can make things difficult for Oman early on.
For Oman:
- Jatinder Singh – As captain and opener, a good start by him could calm nerves for his team. The Economic Times+1
- Shakeel Ahmad – Among their more threatening bowlers; if he finds rhythm early, Oman might make some dents.

Prediction & Strategy

Pakistan are overwhelming favorites: experts expect them to dominate. Some predictions give them ~97% chance of winning this match. Asia Cup Schedule+1
Strategy for Pakistan: Get a solid start with the bat. Use spin wisely in middle overs to control the game. No room for complacency, even though the opponent is underdog.
For Oman: stay tight, try to hit boundaries when possible, build partnerships, and hope to force errors from Pakistan.

Why this Match Matters

It sets Pakistan’s tone before their high-pressure match vs India. A strong win can boost confidence. The Financial Express+1
For Oman, even a competitive show could raise their profile. Debut Asia Cup match means they’ll want to compete, even if winning is tough.
Fans will be watching to see how Pakistan manage pressure, how new faces perform, and whether Oman can spring surprises.

Final Thoughts

I expect Pakistan to win, likely by 6–8 wickets if batting first or by 50+ runs if defending. But cricket loves surprises; Oman could make things interesting early on. For Pakistan, focus will be on clean execution, especially with their younger batting line-up and relatively new bowling combinations.

Pakistan vs Oman Match Preview: Asia Cup 2025