Muscat: Oman national cricket team finished fourth in the Asian Games 2026 qualifiers after an eight-wicket loss to Malaysia in the third-place playoff in Singapore today.

According to Oman News Agency, despite the defeat, Oman achieved their primary objective by securing qualification for the Asian Games finals, scheduled for 19 September to 4 October 2026 in Japan's Aichi Prefecture, after reaching the semi-finals of the qualifiers.

A young Omani squad, featuring almost all players making their tournament debut apart from captain Sufyan Mahmoud, gained valuable international exposure against several emerging Asian sides.

Oman started the tournament strongly and advanced to the last four before suffering consecutive losses to Nepal in the semi-final and Malaysia in the third-place playoff, having also lost to Hong Kong in the group stage.

The cricket competition at the 2026 Asian Games will feature ten teams: Oman, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Japan, Nepal, Malaysia, and Hong Kong. The men's tournament begins on 24 September 2026, with the final scheduled for 3 October.

The team's coaching staff said the campaign achieved its main goals of securing Asian Games qualification and providing young players with valuable competitive experience, which will aid preparations for upcoming continental fixtures.