Asia Cup gave Oman understanding of 'standards required at this level', we are ready for T20 World Cup: Sufyan Mehmood

Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 match against Zimbabwe, Hindustan Times Digital caught up with Oman all-rounder Sufyan Mehmood.

The world is finally there in a 'World Cup'. The T20 World Cup 2026 has gotten off to a cracking start, and it has been a case of so close yet so far for the associate teams in the first two days. The Netherlands, the USA and Nepal all came close to pulling off stunning upsets, shocking teams like Pakistan, India and England, respectively, but fell short at the final hurdle, as their lack of experience led to basic mistakes. The first couple of days of the tenth edition of the World Cup have once again shown why T20 cricket needs more teams to participate.

Sufyan Mehmood, right, with India opener Abhishek Sharma (Sufyan Mehmood - Instagram)

The T20 World Cup 2026 could mark the beginning of something special, though only time will tell if a smaller team can truly upset the established order. A glimpse of that possibility was evident on Sunday during Match 5 between England and Nepal at the Wankhede Stadium. Nepal’s supporters turned the venue into a sea of red, travelling all the way from Kathmandu to cheer on their side, affectionately known as the ‘Cardiac Kids’.

After a few thrillers in the first couple of days, the attention now shifts to Oman, who will take centre stage on Monday in the Group B match against Zimbabwe at the SSC Ground in Colombo. Oman should look to give a good account of themselves, considering they came close to pulling off a major upset against Suryakumar Yadav's India in the 2025 Asia Cup. Led by Jatinder Singh, Oman have featured in the last few Asia Cups, rubbing shoulders with the likes of India and Pakistan. As a result, there will be a certain level of expectation surrounding the side.

Ahead of the match against Zimbabwe, Hindustan Times Digital caught up with Oman all-rounder Sufyan Mehmood to track how the side has been preparing for the World Cup and the expectations the 34-year-old has from the team.

"The preparation has been very focused and purposeful. After the Asia Cup, we had a clear understanding of the standards required at this level. Playing against top-quality opposition helped us identify the small areas we needed to improve — whether that’s handling pressure moments, adapting more quickly to conditions, or being more consistent in our execution. Since then, our training has been more strategic, with a strong emphasis on game awareness, adaptability, and mental toughness. That experience has definitely made us more confident heading into this World Cup, he told HT, in a conversation facilitated by Sports Trumpet.

The right-arm medium pacer further said that he knows Oman are in a tough group; however, he emphasised the need to play to potential, as then, results will take care of themselves.

"It’s a challenging group, no doubt, but that’s what you expect at a World Cup. Every team brings something different: Australia’s experience, Sri Lanka’s familiarity with conditions, and Ireland and Zimbabwe’s competitiveness. We respect all of them, but we’re focused on our strengths and our preparation. If we execute our plans well and play fearless cricket, we believe we can compete strongly in this group," he said.

'Zimbabwe is competitive'

As for Zimbabwe, Sufyan is well aware that the challenge will be a stiff one, with the opposition boasting plenty of quality and nothing expected to come easy. Oman find themselves in a tough group alongside Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Australia and Ireland, with all their matches scheduled to be played in Sri Lanka. A trip to India will only be possible if they qualify for the Super 8s. However, Sufyan is not making much of it.

"Zimbabwe is a very competitive side with experienced players, so we’re expecting a good contest. The first match of any tournament is important because it sets the tone. Our focus will be on staying calm, sticking to our processes, and executing our basics well. If we handle key moments better, we can put ourselves in a strong position to start the tournament positively," he said.

"Playing in India would always be exciting because of the atmosphere and passion for the game, but Sri Lanka is also a fantastic cricketing nation with great facilities and loving fans. For us, the most important thing is representing Oman on the world stage. Wherever we play, our focus is on performing well and making the most of the opportunity," he added.