Mukkamalla Lights Up Al Amerat with Stunning 100 In USA Win
In an electrifying T20 clash at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground, the United States of America (USA) secured a dominant seven-wicket win over Oman in the first match of the three-match T20I series. A spectacular century from Saiteja Mukkamalla propelled the visitors to a comfortable chase, as they overhauled Oman’s challenging total of 190/5 with six balls to spare.
After winning the toss and opting to field, USA found themselves on the back foot early as Oman’s top order delivered a powerful batting display. Captain Jatinder Singh (28 off 20) set the tone with an aggressive start, finding the boundary frequently. However, his departure in the eighth over—trapped LBW by Harmeet Singh—opened the door for USA’s bowlers to fight back.
Aamir Kaleem emerged as Oman’s standout performer, anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 72 off 50 balls. His innings, laced with 11 boundaries, provided the backbone of Oman’s total. He found solid support from wicketkeeper-batsman Vinayak Shukla, who played a quick-fire 36 off 22 balls, hitting two sixes and two fours to accelerate the scoring.
Despite USA’s efforts to contain the run flow, Oman posted a formidable 190/5 in their 20 overs, finishing strong with an unbeaten 12-run cameo from Wasim Ali in just four balls. Harmeet Singh (3/37) was the pick of the bowlers, while Nosthush Kenjige (1/19) was the most economical, keeping the batters in check with disciplined bowling.
Chasing 191 for victory, USA’s innings got off to a shaky start as Steven Taylor (6 off 10) fell early to Sufyan Mehmood. However, the setback did little to deter their intent, as Andries Gous (28 off 21) and Saiteja Mukkamalla launched a counterattack.
Mukkamalla played a breathtaking innings, scoring a blistering 100 off just 48 balls at an astonishing strike rate of 208.33. His knock featured seven fours and seven massive sixes, dismantling the Oman bowling attack with precision and power. The young batter paced his innings brilliantly, shifting gears when needed to keep USA ahead of the required run rate.
Captain Monank Patel (27 off 22) provided stability, while Aaron Jones (25* off 14) finished the chase in style with an array of aggressive strokes. The pair ensured there were no further hiccups, guiding USA to 194/3 in 19 overs.
Oman’s bowlers struggled to contain USA’s batting firepower, leaking runs at crucial junctures. Sufyan Mehmood (1/44) and Mohammad Nadeem (1/43) managed to pick up wickets but proved expensive. Shakeel Ahmed was the most economical, conceding just 26 runs in his four overs, but the rest of the attack failed to apply pressure.
With this emphatic win, USA has taken a crucial step forward in the series. Saiteja Mukkamalla’s heroics rightfully earned him the Player of the Match award.
