In a dominant display at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo, Ireland crushed Oman by 96 runs in their Group B clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 on Saturday. Captain Lorcan Tucker emerged as the match-winner, earning Player of the Match honors for his unbeaten 94 off 51 balls. But Tucker was quick to share the credit, lavishing praise on George Dockrell and Gareth Delany for their explosive contributions.
Tucker reflected on the powerplay, noting, ‘It was a mixed bag for us. We hit plenty of boundaries but lost a few wickets too many. We were just trying to keep the momentum going. The pitch was good, and the outfield was quick – we made the most of it.’
Despite a shaky start, Ireland posted a mammoth 235/5 after being put in to bat. Slumping to 64/4, Tucker’s partnerships turned the tide. His knock featured 10 fours and 4 sixes, while Delany smashed 56 off 30 balls with 3 fours and 4 sixes in a crucial 101-run stand for the fifth wicket. Dockrell then unleashed chaos in the death overs, blasting 35 off just 9 balls with 5 sixes.
Oman crumbled chasing 236, bowled out for 139 in 18 overs. Aamir Kaleem top-scored with 50 off 29, and Hammad Mirza made 46 off 37, but it wasn’t enough. Joshua Little starred with 3/16, supported by Matthew Humphreys (2/27) and Becky McCarthy (2/32).
On his own batting, Tucker said, ‘Losing early wickets ramps up the responsibility. Our plan against spin worked well. We stayed patient, built momentum, and capitalized on loose balls to anchor the innings.’
This victory positions Ireland strongly in Group B, with Tucker’s leadership and the fireworks from Dockrell and Delany signaling their intent for the tournament.