The wealthy and influential family fueling the rise of Oman cricket

For much of December and January, a sleepy Pankaj Khimji fell asleep out of bed at 3:30 a.m., fought off sleep deprivation, and walked almost robotically to the television. But the painstaking routine was worth it for this tragic cricket that was stuck to the Australian-Indian test series that was going on miles away.

“Cricket is in the blood,” Khimji, the longtime manager of Oman Cricket (OC) told me.

That is true. Khimji’s father Kanaksi is locally referred to as “the godfather of cricket” after being the driving force behind the official founding of OC in 1979 with the support of the royal family of Oman.

“Cricket is my father’s pure passion,” Khimji said of his 84-year-old father who is still the president of OC. “He’s been around the world watching cricket and it has become a family affair.

“We were at Lord’s watching India and England for the entire five days watching from the stands. We don’t move all the time. “

Clearly, cricket in this wealthy Middle Eastern country is in good hands with the influential and well-heeled Khimji family. Kanaksi’s grandfather, Ramdas Thackersey, came to Oman 150 years ago from India to trade grains, tea and spices in the bustling port of Muscat.

The family business has flourished, and these days the Khimji Ramdas Group of Companies is a major conglomerate with close ties to the UAE and India. The Khimji family’s net worth is estimated at nearly $ 1 billion and they have invested heavily in the sport of Commonwealth bat and ball.

Even though it has a population of just over four million, Oman has a passionate cricket scene fueled by large numbers of South Asian expats. There are around half a million Indians who live and work in the Sultanate.

Thanks to this talent pool, Oman has become an associated power and is regularly ranked in the top 20 of ODI and T20I cricket. “All of our players are amateurs, they have 9-5 jobs,” said Khimji. “We give them an allowance, an allowance. But cricket cannot be their only livelihood.

Local cricket administrators are wary of simply evaluating success based on national success driven by expatriates, noting the importance of developing the base. Quotas in local leagues require teams to have at least one Omani-born batsman in the top five, while there has been a concerted effort to push cricket into schools.

Left-wing proposals have been launched, including talented teens having their education subsidized by a deal between OC and a local university. “We are very focused internally, this is our first priority,” Khimji said. “We would love to see three or four local players on the national team in a decade.”

With its deep pockets and proximity to the subcontinent, Oman is emerging as an attractive destination for international cricket, just as the UAE’s neighbors have been for decades. Nestled in a plateau with mountains as a backdrop, the grounds of the Oman Cricket Academy at Al Amerat, 15 km southeast of Muscat, is aesthetically easier to view than the soulless surroundings of the stadiums cricket dotting the Emirates.

Granted Test status last month, Oman was set to host Zimbabwe’s next tour of Afghanistan. With security concerns at home, Afghanistan was based in northern India and the United Arab Emirates, but considered other options in these uncertain times.

Oman ultimately lost to the United Arab Emirates to host this tour, but edged Malaysia and Qatar in the pecking order of being the “ base ” of Afghanistan, according to sources.

“We are more than happy to welcome anyone. Any associated country would dream of it, ”said Khimji. “Visiting cricketers love to play here.

“We had a lucky gift from Her Majesty to build an infrastructure for cricket. We want to promote Oman as a destination. “

The rapid rise of Oman – which became an associated nation in 2014 – has brought heightened gravity for Khimji, who is becoming a leading figure in world cricket. He narrowly missed his election to the board of directors of the International Cricket Council (ICC) after failing with one vote in the competition for associate member directors last month.

According to sources, he has campaigned aggressively and is seen as the favorite on the CEO’s Committee (CEC) vacant after Neil Speight was elected to the board.

Khimji was unwilling to run for the prestigious CEC but felt he had important lessons to teach. “Oman has risen on the world cricket stage… we have done something right, so I want to share with others our challenges, our achievements and our best practices,” he said.

“I want to create a path for associates to be recognized and increase cricket globally. Point out to the big boys.

After such a tumultuous election of ICC chairman, highlighting deep divisions among cricket administrators, Khimji said a simple philosophy has helped keep the CO running smoothly. “We leave cricket to the cricketers and administrators need to give them the resources to make it work. It’s the perfect formula, ”he said. “Things can often get tangled up and get mixed up with each other.

“The members of our board receive no benefits, no travel allowance. It’s pure dedication and we just want to see Oman cricket develop.

The motivation is clearly evident in Khimji who enjoys not only watching cricket in the wee hours of the morning – but also being in the thick of the action.

“I’ve played the game my whole life and still play a game or two occasionally,” he said. “It’s all about passion and that drives us in Oman.

“It was a great trip.”