MUSCAT: Oman Cricket (OC) chairman His Excellency Pankaj Khimji has hailed the country’s all-Omani men’s cricket team for achieving a “momentous” milestone after becoming the first all-Omani squad to qualify for the Asian Games, describing the feat as a defining moment for the sport’s future in the Sultanate.

Speaking during a felicitation ceremony honouring the history-making squad at OC headquarters in Al Amerat recently, Khimji said the achievement extended far beyond qualification for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, and reflected years of investment in nurturing local talent.

“It is a momentous achievement, and we at Oman Cricket are proud of our Omani youth who have brought laurels to the sport of cricket through this remarkable accomplishment,” Khimji said.

He said the qualification was even more remarkable by the fact that 13 of the 14 members of the squad were making their international debuts.

“What makes this qualification even more special is that this young side featured 13 players making their international debuts. They displayed tremendous character and composure to defeat an established Singapore team in the opening match. The team then capped off their campaign with an exemplary performance against Bahrain to secure qualification by reaching the semi-finals.”

The all-Omani side created history by becoming the first team from the Sultanate to qualify for the Asian Games through cricket earlier this month, securing one of four available berths at the qualifying tournament in Singapore. Led by experienced captain Sufyan Mehmood, the youthful team booked qualification before bowing out in the semi-finals.

For Oman Cricket, the breakthrough also vindicates its long-term strategy of building a sustainable pathway for home-grown players to represent the country at the highest level.

Khimji credited the players, coaching staff and the wider cricket fraternity for the landmark achievement and expressed hope that it would encourage more young Omanis to embrace the sport.

“This achievement is a testament to the hard work of the players and the support staff, along with the support of the entire Omani cricketing fraternity in Oman. We hope this historic milestone inspires more young Omanis to take up the sport and dream of representing the nation on the international stage.”

The players were honoured by Jaber Al Shabibi, Project Manager for Developing the Sports Preparation System at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, during a special ceremony attended by senior OC officials Madhu Jesrani (secretary), Chaitanya Khimji (board member) and Duleep Mendis (chief development officer).

The men’s cricket competition at the 2026 Asian Games will be held from September 24 to October 3. Oman, along with Nepal, Malaysia and Hong Kong, joined automatic qualifiers India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and hosts Japan in the battle for the gold medal.