The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier B 2024 witnessed an interesting contest between Qatar and Saudi Arabia at the University of Doha for Science and Technology, Doha, on 28 November. The match started at 9:00 AM local time (11:30 AM IST, 6:00 AM GMT). The home team, Qatar, decided to bowl first, thus putting pressure on the opponents as early in the morning they would not be expecting ideal conditions to bat on.

This was the 20th game in the tournament, involving two competitive teams seeking critical points ahead of the T20 World Cup. The teams came to the game with clear plans and the playing XIs balanced with key players to emerge.

Teams and Playing XIs

Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Arabian side had Waji Ul Hassan as the key player, who is known for his leadership and all-round capabilities. Their batting lineup included dependable openers in the form of Abdul Waheed Ghaffar and Faisal Khan. Both have showcased their skills in earlier matches, making huge contributions to their team’s performance. Wicketkeeping duties were handled by Sidharth Sankar, a vital asset due to his adaptability under pressure.

The middle order was strengthened by the presence of Usman Khalid and Hisham Sheikh, while Abdul Manan Ali and Zain Ul Abidin provided balance with their all-round capabilities. In the bowling department, experienced players like Usman Najeeb, Abdul Wahid, and Ishtiaq Ahmad were crucial to Saudi Arabia’s efforts to restrict Qatar’s strong batting lineup.

Saudi Arabia’s Playing XI:

Abdul Waheed Ghaffar
Faisal Khan
Sidharth Sankar (wk)
Waji Ul Hassan (c)
Usman Khalid
Hisham Sheikh
Abdul Manan Ali
Zain Ul Abidin
Usman Najeeb
Abdul Wahid
Ishtiaq Ahmad

Qatar

Qatar, led by Mohammed Rizlan, were looking confident, given their good form in the tournament. The batting was led by the young and talented Imal Liyanage, who also handled the wicketkeeping. Imal has been Qatar’s man of the match in many games so far.

Supporting him at the top were Saqlain Arshad and Mohammad Ahnaff, who have shown their ability to build partnerships and accelerate the scoring rate when needed. The middle order featured experienced campaigners like Muhammad Tanveer and Mirza Mohammed Baig, known for their composure under pressure.

Qatar’s bowling attack was led by Amir Farooq and Mohammed Nadeem, who have been threatening the opposing batsmen with a good pace and accuracy. The team also was well-balanced with the all-round skills of Himanshu Rathod and Muhammad Jabir.

Qatar’s Playing XI

Imal Liyanage (wk)
Saqlain Arshad
Mohammad Ahnaff
Muhammad Tanveer
M Ikramullah Khan
Mohammed Rizlan (c)
Mirza Mohammed Baig
Amir Farooq
Himanshu Rathod
Mohammed Nadeem
Muhammad Jabir

Pre-Match Context

When Qatar elected to bowl first, that simply meant they wanted to enjoy whatever swing and seam-bowl-friendly conditions Doha, of an early morning, generally would offer. By sending Sri Lanka in to bat, Qatar hoped to ensure, with their strong bowling armory, that Saudi could bat little for a manageable total.

Saudi Arabia started looking solid with their openers, Abdul Waheed Ghaffar and Faisal Khan who needed to get them forward towards posting a competitive total against the lineup which would be in strong display on the other end of the wicket.
Squad Composed
Both teams had a good core in their sides and players had the potential to impact significantly in numerous areas of the game.

Saudi Arabia Side:

Abdul Waheed Ghaffar
Faisal Khan
Sidharth Sankar (wk)
Waji Ul Hassan (c)
Usman Khalid
Abdul Manan Ali
Zain Ul Abidin
Abdul Wahid
Saud Syed Iqbal Ahmad
Ishtiaq Ahmad
Ahmad Raza
Sajid Cheema
Usman Najeeb
Shahzaib

Qatar Side:

Imal Liyanage (wk)
Saqlain Arshad
Mohammad Ahnaff
Mirza Mohammed Baig
Muhammad Tanveer
Mohammed Rizlan (c)
Amir Farooq
Arumugaganesh Nagarajan
Mohammed Nadeem
Muhammad Jabir
Shakkir Kassim
Gayan Munaweera
Nouman Sarwar
Himanshu Rathod
Owais Ahmed
M Ikramullah Khan
Mohammed Irshad
Mohammed Aslam

Players to watch

For KSA:

Abdul Waheed Ghaffar – an opener who delivers in initial games
Waji Ul Hassan–the captain and potential for this all-rounder as he can excel well at both batting and bowling 
Ishtiaq Ahmad is another strong bowler he does magic and takes wicket during match.

For Qt: 

Imal Liyanage  consistent and one of best available.
Amir Farooq: A strike bowler with a knack for breaking partnerships.
Mohammad Rizlan: The captain whose leadership and middle-order batting are the need of the hour for Qatar.

Match Dynamics

The Qatar–Saudi Arabia match was expected to be a close contest. Saudi Arabia, batting first, looked to put a competitive total on the board, while Qatar relied on their bowlers to restrict the opposition and set up a manageable chase.

Both teams had their positives, but Qatar’s decision to bat first gave them a slight advantage during the early stages of the game. The onus was on Saudi Arabia to adapt to the conditions and deliver a good batting performance to stay in contention for victory.

This match promised thrilling cricket and went a long way in deciding teams’ positions in the Asia Qualifier B. The fans followed the action with great enthusiasm, believing that it was going to be an intense battle between two determined sides.