In the Group B schedule for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, Ireland vs Oman, Ireland recorded the second-highest total in the history of the tournament, where the stand-in skipper Lorcan Tucker played a special record knock in the competition. 

Ireland scored 235/5, second highest T20 World Cup total

On the Saturday afternoon game (February 14) at the SSC in Colombo venue, Oman chose to field first after winning the toss. Ireland slammed 235/5 in 20 overs. It was the second-highest total in the history of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

Highest totals in ICC Men's T20 World Cup

• 260/6 (20 overs) by Sri Lanka vs Kenya at Johannesburg in 2007
• 235/5 (20 overs) by Ireland vs Oman at Colombo (SSC) in 2026
• 230/8 (19.4 overs) by England vs South Africa at Wankhede in 2016

Although Ireland lost their first three wickets inside the powerplay for 46 runs, later struggling at 64/4, the Irish middle-order batters played strong knocks to set a huge T20 World Cup total. 

Ireland captain Lorcan Tucker scored second highest score by a captain in T20 World Cup, 94 not out 

Captain Lorcan Tucker, coming to bat at no.4, completed 50 runs in 35 balls, and continued his innings to 94 not out off 51 balls with 10 fours and four sixes, as he missed becoming the first captain to score a T20 World Cup century by just six runs. It was the second-highest score by a captain in the history of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. 

Captains with highest scores in ICC Men's T20 World Cup

• 98 by Chris Gayle (West Indies) vs India at Bridgetown in 2010
• 94* by Lorcan Tucker (Ireland) vs Oman at Colombo (SSC) in 2026
• 92 by Rohit Sharma (India) vs Australia at Gros Islet in 2024

Lorcan Tucker had a 101-run partnership with Gareth Delany for the fifth wicket, as Delany slammed 56 off 30 balls with three fours and four sixes. 

Later, in the slog overs, skipper Tucker had a 70-run partnership for the unbroken sixth wicket with George Dockrell, who scored 35 not out off just nine balls with five sixes. In the last three balls of the innings, Dockrell smashed three back-to-back sixes. 

Sri Lanka is all set to take on Ireland in Match 6 of Group B of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 on Sunday, February 8, at R. Premadasa Stadium Colombo. With both teams aiming to get more points in the initial phase of the tournament, it could be a vital day on their road to success at the World Cup.

The Sri Lankans will have home conditions and would therefore try to utilize that aspect of being at home. Their batting unit will rely on the experienced Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, and captain Dasun Shanaka to provide stability. For Sri Lanka, with the ball, some really strong options in both spin and pace, Wanindu Hasaranga and Matheesha Pathirana could play key roles if the surface slows down.

Ireland come into the contest with growing confidence and an attacking mindset. Led by Paul Stirling, the Irish side has shown they can challenge bigger teams on the world stage. Josh Little’s pace with the new ball and Curtis Campher’s all-round ability will be important if Ireland are to put pressure on Sri Lanka. Ireland go into this competition with increasing confidence and a positive style of play.

SL vs IRE: Head-to-Head in T20Is

• Matches Played: 3
• Sri Lanka Won: 3
• Ireland Won: 0
• No Result: 0

SL vs IRE: Pitch Report

Traditionally, the pitch at the R. Premadasa Stadium has favored bowlers, especially spin bowlers The average first-innings score here is 140, so this has not been an easy venue for batters. Chasing teams have had more success, so captains winning the toss may opt to bowl.

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SL vs IRE: Predicted Playing XIs

Sri Lanka (SL):

Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka (C), Wanindu Hasaranga, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana

Ireland (IRE):

Paul Stirling (c), Ross Adair, Curtis Campher, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Harry Tector, Gareth Delany, Ben Calitz, George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy

United Arab Emirates and Ireland will go head to head in the second and final T20I of the series at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday, 31 January UAE will be looking to level the series after losing the first match, while Ireland will be aiming to win the series with another good show.

Ireland won the first T20I comprehensively by 57 runs. Batting first, Ireland scored a competitive total of 178 for 6, with many players contributing important runs to the total. Ross Adair, Lorcan Tucker, Curtis Campher, Benjamin Calitz, and George Dockrell all contributed well and post a good total. UAE, on the other hand, struggled in the chase and were bowled out for 121. The batting lineup let the team down despite the good show by captain Muhammad Waseem, who scored 40. Matthew Humphreys and Gareth Delany starred with the ball for Ireland, picking up three wickets each.

UAE will be hoping to improve their batting and not have a collapse like the previous match. Ireland, on the other hand, will be taking confidence from their all-round performance and hoping to end the series on a positive note.

UAE vs IRE: Pitch Report 

The pitch in Dubai is expected to be similar to the one used in the first match. It offers a fair contest between bat and ball. Batters who spend some time at the crease can score freely, while spinners are likely to be effective during the middle overs as the pitch slows down.

UAE vs IRE: Head-to-Head (T20Is)

• Matches Played: 12
• UAE Won: 7
• Ireland Won: 5
• No Result: 0

See Also: IND vs NZ, 5th T20I: Head-to-head, pitch report & predicted playing XIs

UAE vs IRE: Predicted Playing XIs

United Arab Emirates (UAE):

Muhammad Waseem (C), Sohaib Khan, Rahul Chopra, Aryansh Sharma (WK), Alishan Sharafu, Harshit Kaushik, Basil Hameed, Haider Ali, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Arfan, Muhammad Jawadullah

Ireland (IRE):

Paul Stirling (C), Curtis Campher, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (WK), Ross Adair, George Dockrell, Barry McCarthy, Mark Adair, Benjamin Calitz, Matthew Humphreys, Gareth Delany

The ICC has released the latest Future Tours Programme (FTP) for women's cricket for the 2025-29 cycle, bringing several key updates aimed at enhancing the global profile of the sport. Among the highlights are dedicated windows for three major T20 leagues: the Women's Premier League (WPL) in January-February, The Hundred in August, and the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) in November. This strategic scheduling ensures uninterrupted participation of international stars, thereby heightening the competition’s appeal and fan engagement across the globe.

ICC unveils new women's FTP with separate windows for WPL, Hundred, and WBBL

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has also shifted the WPL window to January-February from 2026. This adjustment aligns with Cricket Australia's (CA) decision to reschedule its marquee international home fixtures, previously held in mid-January, to a February-March window. The 2025 Women’s Ashes, set to begin in January, will be Australia’s last home series during this time slot until at least 2029. Following the WPL in 2026, Australia is set to host India for a highly anticipated tour, featuring one Test, three ODIs, and three T20Is.

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ICC Women's Championship expanded and new T20 Champions Trophy announced

In a bid to expand the reach of women's cricket, the ICC Women's Championship will now include 11 teams, with Zimbabwe joining as the latest addition. This expansion follows the recent inclusion of Bangladesh and Ireland, underscoring the ICC’s commitment to growing the women’s game. With Zimbabwe’s addition, every Full Member of the ICC, except Afghanistan, will now field a team in the ODI Championship. The current cycle will culminate in the 2025 ODI World Cup in India, promising a highly competitive format with new entrants.

The ICC also introduced a T20 Champions Trophy, set to be hosted by Sri Lanka in 2027. This event is part of ICC’s strategy to have at least one global women’s tournament every year, with the Champions Trophy joining an already busy schedule of major events. In 2028, fans can look forward to the inclusion of cricket in the Los Angeles Olympics (August) and the T20 World Cup (September), which will take place within a 14-month period, offering fans an action-packed calendar of top-level women’s cricket.

The Irish cricket team is gearing up for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 with a lot on their plate. With a current winning percentage of 42% in the T20 format, the team, under the leadership of Paul Stirling, is looking to impact the international stage significantly. While Ireland may not be the most powerful team, they are known for giving tough competition to their opponents.

Current Performance

Ireland’s performance in T20 cricket has been mixed, reflected in their 42% winning percentage. Despite having few players in different leagues worldwide, the team has shown promise. The captain, Paul Stirling, has expressed confidence in the team, assuring fans that players like Inful Singh and Vijay will shine in the upcoming tournament.

Team Composition

Under the seasoned leadership of Paul Stirling, the Irish cricket team boasts a mix of experienced players and promising young talents. Key players include George Dockrell, known for his spin skills, and Lorcan Tucker and Craig Young, who add depth and diversity to the team.

See Also: T20 World Cup 2024: SWOT analysis of Oman team

SWOT Analysis of Ireland’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad

Strengths

Paul Stirling brings stability and invaluable experience to the team, providing a strong foundation for their T20 campaign. The duo of Curtis Campher and Gareth Delany offers a balance of batting and bowling prowess, crucial for T20 matches.

Ben White is starting to make his mark, adding depth and variation to Ireland’s bowling attack alongside the seasoned George Dockrell. Lorcan Tucker has been a mainstay in the batting lineup, scoring 227 runs at an average of 37.83 in the last two series, demonstrating his importance to the team’s success.

Weaknesses

One of Ireland’s significant challenges is its inconsistency in scoring big scores, which often results in collapses in its batting lineup. The team heavily depends on key players like Stirling and Balbirnie, which can be problematic if these players hit a rough patch.

Ireland struggles with containing runs in the final overs due to the absence of experienced death bowlers, which is crucial in T20 cricket. With fewer opportunities to play against elite teams, Ireland’s experience in high-pressure situations is limited, affecting their adaptability in major tournaments.

Opportunities

Analyzing previous competitions allows Ireland to identify areas for improvement and devise better strategies for the T20 World Cup. Introducing young talent on the international stage boosts the team’s performance and ensures a bright future for Irish cricket.

Ireland has the potential to pull off surprising victories against higher-ranked teams, which could boost their confidence and improve their international standing.

Threats

Playing against teams like Australia, England, and India poses a significant challenge due to the gap in experience and rankings. High expectations can influence internal pressure, affecting players’ confidence and decision-making during critical moments. Ireland must develop resilience and a focused mindset to navigate high-pressure situations effectively.

Ireland is placed in Group A of the tournament, facing formidable opponents like India, Pakistan, USA, and Canada. Each team presents unique challenges that Ireland must overcome to advance in the competition.

Ireland’s squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024: Paul Stirling (Capt), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young