Omani cricketer honoured in Dubai

Muscat: He is among the very few Omanis to have played for the national cricket team. Sufyan Mahmood’s exploits on the field as an effective T20 cricketer are well-known but not many know that the Omani all-rounder is also a popular sports influencer with a massive fan following.

His role as a leading sports influencer in the region was recently recognised when he was named the Filmfare Middle East Second Best Sports Influencer of the Year 2023-24.

He received the coveted award at a glittering ceremony held in Dubai, UAE, recently.

Sufyan was among 300 sports persons of the Middle East nominated for the award.

The Filmfare Social Night was attended by several celebrities from the entertainment industry in the Middle East and India. Sufyan, who made his debut for Oman in 2009 ACC tournament, has a huge following in Instagram and Facebook.

The all-rounder has featured in Oman’s team at two T20 World Cups (India 2016, Oman 2021).

Speaking after receiving the honour, Sufyan said: “My strong social media fan base got me the award. There was a voting link and three judges made the final decision. On Instagram I have 138,000 followers and 58,000 on Facebook.”

Sufyan thanked his company Renaissance and promoters Stargold and HalaTaxi for the support. He also expressed his gratitude to Oman Cricket, led by its chairman Pankaj Khimji, for their constant support.