Ireland ripped up the record books on Saturday in Colombo as they smashed a tournament-high 235 for five against Oman at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, turning a tricky start into a night of pure dominance.
Oman won the toss and chose to field, a decision that looked sharp early. Their spinners squeezed Ireland hard and forced mistakes inside the powerplay.
Left-arm spinner Shakeel Ahmed led the charge. He knocked over Tim Tector, forced Ross Adair into a miscue, and breached Harry Tector’s defence to leave Ireland wobbling at 64 for four.
That pressure should have set the tone. Instead, it lit the fuse.
Captain Lorcan Tucker took control and refused to blink. He rebuilt calmly before flipping the switch and dragging the game away from Oman.
Gareth Delaney matched him stride for stride. He cleared the ropes four times, found the fence three more, and blasted 56 from just 30 balls to break Oman’s grip.
From there, Ireland never looked back. Tucker stayed unbeaten on 94 from 51 balls, the highest individual score of this World Cup, mixing placement with clean power.
The finish turned savage. George Dockrell arrived and emptied the tank, smashing 35 from nine balls as Ireland plundered 86 runs in the final four overs.
Oman lost control because their lengths vanished under pressure. Once Ireland lined up the spinners, the bowlers had nowhere to hide.
The final numbers told the story. Ireland hit 21 fours and 13 sixes, posted the highest score of this tournament, and the second-highest total in T20 World Cup history.
