MUSCAT : Oman’s national cricket team is gearing up for a historic debut at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, with the squad completing the final phase of its technical and physical preparations ahead of the continental tournament.

The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will be held from September 19 to October 4, with Oman making its first appearance in the men’s cricket competition. The campaign will also mark a significant milestone as Oman fields a squad made entirely up of national players at the Asian Games.

Saeed bin Haider Al Balushi, manager of the national cricket team, said the squad is completing its final internal training camp, which runs from September 1 to 19, with the focus on bringing the players to peak readiness before the competition.

The preparation programme has included intensive training sessions as well as four friendly matches against teams competing in Oman’s elite league, aimed at improving match sharpness and strengthening coordination among the players.

Al Balushi said preparations for the Asian Games began in March with training programmes at the Oman Cricket Academy in Al Amerat.

The team also benefited from the domestic league featuring seven sides made entirely of Omani players, which he described as an important platform for identifying emerging talent and widening the national selection pool based on clear technical criteria.

He also praised the Oman Cricket Board of Directors for its continued support of the team and its preparation programme.

National team captain Sufyan Mehmood said Oman’s preparations for the Asian Games have been under way for the past two years.

He stressed that the immediate objective is to produce strong performances in the group stage, secure qualification for the knockout rounds and represent the Sultanate of Oman in the best possible manner.

Oman booked its historic Asian Games berth following a successful qualifying campaign in Singapore earlier this year. Oman, Nepal, Malaysia and Hong Kong, China secured the four qualifying spots and joined Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, along with hosts Japan, in the 10-team men’s competition.

Oman had secured qualification after advancing from a group that also featured Hong Kong, Bahrain and hosts Singapore. The Sultanate recorded wins over Singapore and Bahrain to seal its place in the continental event.

The Asian Games draw has placed Oman in Group B alongside Hong Kong, China and Malaysia, while Afghanistan, Nepal and hosts Japan make up Group A.

Oman will face Hong Kong, China on September 25, before taking on Malaysia on September 26.

The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals, where they will join seeded teams India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

For all the latest news from Oman and GCC, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube page, which is updated daily.