Ireland recorded their highest score at the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup as they kept their hopes of reaching the Super Eight quarters alive with a 96-run win over Oman in Colombo.
The Irish went 235-5. Sri Lanka has won 225 and lost 5 against the same opponents. 86 runs were scored in the last four overs, with Oman 139 runs in 18 overs.
George Dockrell (35 off nine balls) hit five sixes, including in the final three innings, while Ireland skipper Lorcan Tucker (94 off 51, 10 fours and four sixes) top-scored with his highest individual total in this year’s tournament.
Tucker, who captained his side after Paul Sterling’s World Cup ended with a knee injury, and Gareth Delaney (56 off 30) rescued Ireland from 64-4 with a fifth-wicket stand of 101 runs from 56 balls in the eighth over.
Oman lost seven wickets for 24 runs at 97-2 in the 11th over after 44-year-old Amir Kalim (50 off 29 balls) was dismissed by Barry McCarthy (2-32), with Josh Little taking 3-16 and McCarthy talking the final scalp in a stubborn 10th-wicket stand of 18.
Ireland, who lost their first two games to Sri Lanka and Australia, can still finish in the top two of Group B if other results go their way after beating Zimbabwe in Palekele on Tuesday.
Oman are now out of Super 8 contention after three successive defeats, with their final first round match against Australia in Palekele on Friday.
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Oman spinner Shakeel Ahmed celebrated the iconic Cristiano Ronaldo after getting a wicket against Ireland.
Left-arm spinner Shakeel Ahmed (3-33) impressed for Oman in the loss, picking up three Ireland wickets in the six-over powerplay, including openers Tim Tector (5) and Ross Adair (14).
Shakeel celebrated by showing off Cristiano Ronaldo’s trademark ‘Siuuu’ move when he bowled a fine ball to Harry Tector to reduce Ireland to 45-3 after five overs.
Oman’s bowlers were on tap a bit later on, with Shah Faisal’s 17th over taking him for 18, Mohammad Nadeem’s 18th over for 26 and Tucker smashing five boundaries before Jiten Ramanandi and Sufyan Mehmood made 21 each in the last two as Dockrell ran riot and took Ireland to their highest T20I. gun.
Watch every match of the Men’s T20 World Cup live on Sky Sports, including the final on Sunday 8 March. Stream contract-free with Sky Sports or NOW.
