Dubai: Pakistan beat Oman by 93 runs in their opening Asia Cup match here on Friday. Chasing 161, Oman folded for 67 in 16.4 overs with Hammad Mirza top-scoring with 27.

For Pakistan, Saim Ayub, Faheem Ashraf and Sufiyan Muqeem took two wickets apiece.

Earlier, Mohammad Haris struck an impressive 66 to help Pakistan post 160 for 7. Opting to bat, Pakistan lost Saim Ayub (0) in the second delivery of the match, caught in plumb in front of the wicket by Shah Faisal.

Ayub went for the review but it was ruled out by the third umpire. Thereafter, Mohammed Haris (66 off 43 balls) and Sahibzada Farhan (29 off 29) steadied the ship with a 85-run partnership for the second wicket.

In the 10th over, Haris clobbered Sufyan Mehmood over deep mid-wicket for a six to bring up his fifty.

While Haris’ fifty ensured a solid start for Pakistan, Farhan struggled for timing at the other end.

Farhan didn’t last long as he was caught and bowled by left-arm spinner Aamir Kaleem (3/31) in the 11th over.

Kaleem struck twin blows in the 13th over to pin Pakistan down.

Kaleem first dismissed a set Haris, clean-bowled while the batter went for a reverse sweep only to get an inside edge on to the stumps, and then accounted for Pakistan skipper Salman Agha (0), caught by Hammad Mirza of a full toss.

Left-arm medium pacer Shah Faisal (3/34) then accounted for Hasan Nawaz (9), caught by Hassnain Shah at deep point as Pakistan slumped to 120 for 5 in 16.4 overs.

Then came in Mohammad Nawaz (19 off 10 balls) and he took the attack to the opposition, clobbering boundaries in the company of Fakhar Zaman (23 not out) to take Pakistan forward.

While Nawaz struck two consecutive boundaries off Hassnain Shah in the 18th over, Zaman too struck a four in the same over.

Nawaz played a good hand before perishing in the final over in search of quick runs.

Zaman was stranded in one end, accumulating 23 runs off 16 balls.

Brief Scores:

Pakistan 160 for 7 in 20 overs (Mohammad Haris 66, Sahibzada Farhan 29; Aamir Kaleem 3/31, Shah Faisal 3/34) beat Oman 67 all out in 16.4 overs (Hammad Mirza 27, Aamir Kaleem 13; Saim Ayub 2/8, Sufiyan Muqeem 2/7, Faheem Ashraf 2/6) by 93 runs.