ICC Men’s T20 World Cup: Marcus Stoinis helps Australia start campaign with a win over Oman

Marcus Stoinis shone with bat and ball as Australia launched their bid for a grand slam of major cricket titles with a 39-run victory over Oman at the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Barbados on Wednesday.

Stoinis smashed a game-changing 67 not out off just 36 balls to power Australia to 164-5 and then took three wickets for 19 runs as Oman were restricted to 125-9 in reply at Kensington Oval.

“It was a nice start,” said Stoinis, who was named Player of the Match afterwards. “Maybe a few cobwebs for us but we’re better for it, and nice that we got the win.

“And nice that I got to spend some time in the middle and have a bit of a bowl.”

Stoinis hammered six sixes and two fours during a swashbuckling batting performance that led Australia’s recovery after they had slumped to 50-3 earlier in the innings.

David Warner helped provide some stability with a half century as Australia eventually got going after captain Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell fell off successive balls to seamer Mehran Khan in the 11th over.

After a steady couple of overs, Stoinis went on the attack, dominating a 102-run fourth-wicket partnership which effectively wrested the initiative away from the Omanis.

Warner, in his final...

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