T20 WC 2024: 'Hulk of Australia' Stoinis' all-round heroics lauded after win over Oman; fans go berserk

Marcus Stoinis starred with both bat and ball as Australia secured a comprehensive 39-run victory against Oman at the Kensington Oval on Thursday, marking a strong start to their T20 World Cup campaign.

Stoinis smashed an unbeaten 67 off 36 balls, helping Australia recover from a top-order wobble to post 164/5. He then delivered with the ball, taking 3 wickets for 19 runs in 3 overs, ensuring the 2021 champions earned their first two points of the tournament.

Australia found themselves in trouble early on but were stabilised by Stoinis and David Warner, who scored a steady 56. The duo's 102-run partnership for the fourth wicket was crucial, as Australia had slumped to 50/3.

Oman's innings struggled to gain momentum against Australia's disciplined bowling. Nathan Ellis and Mitchell Starc struck early, each taking a wicket within the first three overs. Starc's inswinger trapped Pratik Athavale (0) on the pads, leading to a successful DRS review. Ellis then trapped Kashyap Prajapati (7) for the second wicket.

Stoinis delivered a key blow by dismissing Oman captain Aqib Ilyas (18) on the final ball of the powerplay, caught by a sharp Matthew Wade. Stoinis further tightened Australia's grip by removing Zeeshan Maqsood (1), caught behind in the eighth over.

Ayaan Khan provided some resistance with a 30-ball 36, featuring two fours and two sixes, but Oman could only manage 125/9 in their 20 overs.

After being asked to bat first, Australia's innings was initially shaky with Travis Head (12) and captain Mitchell Marsh (14) failing to convert their starts. Glenn Maxwell's poor run continued as he was dismissed for a golden duck by Mehran Khan, courtesy of a stunning catch by Ilyas.

Warner, playing his 104th match, surpassed Aaron Finch to become Australia's leading run-scorer in T20 Internationals with 3,120 runs. His 56 included six fours and a six.

Stoinis's explosive innings, featuring two fours and six sixes, lifted Australia's total to a competitive 164/5. For Oman, Mehran Khan was the standout bowler with 2/38, while Bilal Khan and Kaleemullah took one wicket each. Aqib Ilyas and Shakeel Ahmed also bowled economically, with figures of 4-0-18-0 and 4-0-28-0, respectively.

Australia's comprehensive performance highlighted their prowess, setting a high bar for their T20 World Cup journey.

Here are some of the other tweets: