The power of staying the course: Lessons from South Africa and Oman
On Saturday at the iconic Lord's, South Africa won the World Test Championship, their first ICC men's title in 27 years. For a nation that has endured the weight of history, the sting of near misses, internal challenges, and complex selection issues, this was more than a trophy.
It was a story of redemption, of standing tall through adversity. Fittingly, it wasn't their most celebrated team that did it — it was one written off by many as their weakest.
Oman's cricketing journey bears similar traits. As a non-traditional cricketing nation, we weren't handed opportunities — we earned them. Over four to five decades, passionate individuals —players, administrators, volunteers, and supporters — have built something extraordinary from scratch.
Today, Oman Cricket boasts a proud record: 9 wins out of 12 in the ongoing ICC World Cup League 2, often against better-ranked and better-resourced opponents.
And here's what makes it more remarkable: this performance came from a team assembled at the last minute. A team that was formed after 10 senior players withdrew just before a major international tournament. It was a decision that shocked many — not just because of its timing, but because of its consequences.
In moments like these, we're reminded of a hard truth: when individuals act out of momentary frustration or personal gain, the cost is carried by many. The team is left scrambling.
The organisation suffers reputational and structural strain. The country loses credibility on the global stage. And often, the individuals who took that decision bear the heaviest burden — struggling to recover professionally and personally, their careers derailed, their futures uncertain.
In contrast, those who stood by the team — who chose discipline over drama, and commitment over conflict —are now writing a new chapter for Oman Cricket. A chapter built on unity, resilience, and deep respect for the game, the institution, and the country that nurtured them.
We don't always get everything we want, exactly when we want it. But when we choose the harder right over the easier wrong — when we stay patient, stay together, and stay grounded —success, recognition, and growth will always follow.
South Africa reminded us of that yesterday. Oman is living proof of it today.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times of Oman
5 hours ago
- Times of Oman
After series defeat in Sri Lanka, Najmul Hossain Shanto steps down as Bangladesh Test skipper
Colombo: Najmul Hossain Shanto announced his decision to step down as Bangladesh Test captain after his side endured a 1-0 series defeat against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Saturday. After the opening Test ended in a draw, Bangladesh arrived in Colombo looking to add crucial points in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle. Compared to the series opener, Bangladesh batters failed to put up a robust performance and surrendered an emphatic defeat by an innings and 78 runs. In the aftermath of Bangladesh's heartbreaking defeat, Shanto decided to step down from the Test captaincy role and said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo, "I don't want to continue [as captain] in the Test format anymore. This is not personal. I have taken the decision for the betterment of the team. I think this will help the team. I have been a part of the dressing room for the past few years. "I think three captains [for the three international formats] is not sensible. I don't know what the board will feel about this, and I will support their decision. But this is my personal decision. I think three separate captains will be difficult for the team to deal with. I would want that no one feels this decision is emotional, or that I am disappointed by something. I want to make this clear. This is for the betterment of the team," he added. Shanto tried to explain that his decision wasn't personal, considering the timing of it. Earlier this year, he stepped down as T20I captain. Before Bangladesh's departure, Shanto expressed his interest in continuing with the ODI leadership role. However, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) sacked him from his role and replaced him with Mehidy Hasan Miraz. "I just hope people don't see this as a personal issue or think I did this because I felt bad about the ODI captaincy snub. I want to make it clear again: this is for the betterment of the team. There is nothing personal here. I already informed the cricket operations department a few days back," he said. With Shanto at the helm, Bangladesh won four out of 14 Tests, which began with a victory over New Zealand in Sylhet in November 2023. The Tigers topped it up with a historic series whitewash in Pakistan in August last year. He became the first Bangladesh captain to hammer twin centuries in a Test in Sri Lanka and averaged 36.24 during his stint. Bangladesh will have time to identify the new Test captain as their next red-ball assignment will be against Ireland in October. As of now, Litton Das leads the T20I side, while Mehidy is the skipper of the ODI team.
Times of Oman
5 hours ago
- Times of Oman
Jayasuriya's five-for wraps up thumping win for Sri Lanka over Bangladesh in second Test
Colombo: Sri Lanka wrapped up the second Test and the series by orchestrating a resounding victory by an innings and 78 runs and a 1-0 series win over Bangladesh, claiming some valuable points in the World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle on Saturday. Sri Lanka needed just 28 minutes of the morning session of the fourth day to wrap up the entire series and secure their ninth-innings victory over Bangladesh. Left-arm ball tweaker Prabath Jayasuriya did the bulk of the damage with the spin traps and returned with figures of 5/56, his 12th five-wicket haul in Test format. Jayasuriya weaved his magic just three deliveries into his first over of the fourth day. Litton Das tried to negate the threat with forward defence but edged it to wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis (14) behind the stumps. He stung Bangladesh again in his next over by having Nayeem Hasan stumped on 5(8). He completed his five-wicket haul by pouching a return catch to his right from Taijul Islam. Tharindu Ratnayake got into the thick of the action and trapped Ebadot Hossain in front of the stumps in the next over to pull the curtain down on Bangladesh's innings in just 34 deliveries into the morning session. Jayasuriya spun his best against Bangladesh and found his lost mojo after going wicketless in the first innings and striking once in Galle. In the second innings, a total of nine wickets fell to spin, with Tharindu and captain Dhananjaya de Silva sharing two apiece apart from Jayasuriya's five-for. Earlier in the Test, Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat, just as they had done in the series opener in Galle. However, they failed to replicate their previous success and turned out to be pale shadows of their former self. They finished with 247 on the board, and in reply, Sri Lanka notched 458 on the board, courtesy of Pathum Nissanka's flamboyant 158(254), Dinesh Chandimal's resilient 93(153) and Kusal's quick-fire 84(87). Bangladesh attempted to conjure an inspired performance but fell short in their efforts. Jayasuriya tore through Bangladesh's batting order and forced them to pack on 133 in 44.2 overs, sealing a 1-0 series win for the hosts. Brief Scores: Bangladesh 247 and 133 (Mushfiqur Rahim 26, Prabath Jayasuriya 5-56) vs Sri Lanka 458 (Pathum Nissanka 158, Dinesh Chandimal 93, Kusal Mendis 84, Taijul Islam 5-131).
Times of Oman
9 hours ago
- Times of Oman
Archer to feature for England at Edgbaston? Rob Key teases return of "world-class" speedster against India
London: ECB managing director of men's cricket, Rob Key, dropped a subtle hint about tearaway Jofra Archer's return in the forthcoming second Test against India in Birmingham, which is scheduled to kick off on Wednesday. Archer returned to England's Test fold for the first time since February 2021 after being named in the 14-player squad for the contest at Edgbaston. His inclusion comes in the aftermath of his return to first-class action in the County Championship on Sunday for the first time in more than four years. The 30-year-old, known to test the speed gun with his scorching pace, scalped a solitary wicket and struck 31 runs with the bat in 34 deliveries for Durham against Sussex in the County Championship. Archer's last appearance dates back to England's 10-wicket defeat by India in Ahmedabad in February 2021, following which numerous injuries plagued him and kept the promising speedster out of the format. While Archer's inclusion has left former cricketers and fans with split opinions, Key hinted at the prospect of the right-arm seamer charging at the Indian batters with his blistering pace at Edgbaston. "I would imagine [that he will play at least one of the next two Tests]. As I stand here now, that's where it's heading, but who knows? He could bowl the first ball of the [Edgbaston] Test. All options are available. The amount of work Jofra has put in over the last six months almost... There is a point where your [bowling] loads are there because of the building up you've been doing," Key said as quoted from Sky Sports. "We have to be careful with all of our bowlers but if you didn't want bowlers to get injured you would never play them. That's not what it's about. It's about getting your bowlers out there as much as possible so they can impact games of cricket," he added. If Archer fails to make the cut for the final XI, Archer could appear in the final stages of Sussex's next Championship fixture at home to Warwickshire, which will take place from Sunday to Wednesday at Hove. In 13 Test appearances, Archer has scythed 42 wickets at 31.04. "There is a chance he could play in the Championship if we think that is the best thing or it might be that if he doesn't play at Edgbaston having him around is the best thing," he said. While Archer's return to County didn't glisten with magical numbers, Key feels the 30-year-old managed to achieve his potential and added, "It was a question of could he hit his straps and could he get up to a decent pace, which we felt he did. Jofra is such a talent and was straight on the money. You need a lot of different things to be a world-class bowler, and he has all of them - pace, release point, skill, accuracy." England are currently leading 1-0 in the series after gunning down a record 371-run chase at Headingly, fuelled by Ben Duckett's flamboyant 149, Joe Root's composed 54* and Jamie Smith's (44*) finishing touches. England Men's Test squad for 2nd Test: Ben Stokes (capt), Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.
