It is a custom with Oman teams to present a gift to their opponents even in junior cricket.
'Local boy' Sanju Samson enthralled fans at the Abu Dhabi Zayed cricket stadium on Friday, September 19, 2025, top-scoring with 56.
Suryakumar Yadav called Samson "local boy" after fans chanted Samson's name at a practice session in Dubai.
At the first Asia Cup 2025 press conference Yadav addressed, he was asked about Samson's inclusion in the playing eleven and the Indian captain assured the media, "Don't worry about Sanju Samson, we will take care... We are actually taking really good care of him."
In India's first two Asia Cup 2025 games against the UAE and Pakistan, Samson didn't get a chance to bat. The last time he batted for India in a T20I was against England on February 2, 2025, which means he has endured a nearly seven month wait.
The last time he batted for India in an ODI was on December 21, 2023, when he cracked 108 against South Africa at Paarl.
During the match, the Sanju Samson Fans Association unveiled a poster highlighting all his achievements.
When Captains Forget...
When funny things happen on the field, funnier remarks can be heard in the press box.
Suryakumar Yadav and Oman Skipper Jatinder Singh made two changes to their teams, but they could remember only one name when Commentator Ravi Shastri asked the captains about the changes they had made in the playing eleven.
One suggestion heard in the media box was that captains from now on should be made to memorise their team changes before going out for the toss.
"To avoid such embarrassment, it would be ideal if they are made to repeat the names of the changes 10 times before arriving for the toss," quipped another scribe.
Then Indian skipper Rohit Sharma once forgot his decision after winning the toss against New Zealand!
Handshake, Embrace, And A Gift
Suryakumar Yadav and Jatinder Singh not only shook hands but also embraced each other.
Oman is well known for its hospitality and sporting traditions. Singh also presented a gift box to SKY during the toss. It is a custom with Oman teams to present a gift to their opponents even in junior cricket.
The gift was a Khanjar, a traditional curved dagger.
Former Oman fast bowler turned coach Rajesh Ranpura recalled how his team often presented the Khanjar as a souvenir to opponents during his playing days.
Ranpura played for Oman in the Asia Cup qualifier in Bangladesh in 2016 before becoming the coach for the G Force cricket academy in Dubai.
Inspirational Aamir Kaleem!
Aamir Kaleem became the oldest player to score 50-plus in T20I cricket.
He was 43 years and 330 days old when he hit 64 against India on Friday evening and will celebrate his 44th birthday with pride on November 20.
When I asked Jatinder Singh how proud he was of the team, especially Aamir, the Oman captain responded, "I am extremely proud of the unit. Aamir is very energetic on the field whenever he turns up for training. He is a very disciplined guy, even though he is 40-plus."
"When he is on the field, he is really electrifying; he brings in great energy, and he is such a skillful guy. We are grateful to have him in the team."
Arshdeep Singh's 100 Wickets...
Arshdeep Singh became the first Indian bowler to take 100 T20I wickets when he dismissed Oman's Vinayak Shukla. He took only 64 T20Is to arrive at that landmark. He once remarked that yoga and meditation have helped him focus and handle pressure situations.
During IPL 2021 in Dubai, when I asked Arshdeep about what had helped him progress in cricket, he confessed top players may not enjoy his company as he keeps asking them too many questions to get as many tips as possible. He was only 22 then.