Colombo, Feb 14 (IANS) Oman captain Jatinder Singh admitted his side was at the top in the game till the 10th over of the first innings, where they pushed Ireland to 79/4. Still, Lorcan Tucker turned the contest around with a masterful knock, which led to Oman suffering a 96-run defeat in their third match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Saturday.
Oman had opted to bowl first on a fresh surface but were taken apart by Ireland, who posted a massive 235/5 in 20 overs, with the help of Tucker’s unbeaten 94 and a 101-run partnership with Gareth Delany. In reply, Oman were bowled out for 139 in 18 overs despite a fighting fifty from Aamir Kaleem.
“When we took the four wickets, we were very much in the game. After 10 overs, they built a partnership. Credit goes to Tucker. The way he built the partnership with Delany was masterful. We tried to execute our plans, but we failed to execute, and they were taking over the bowlers,” Jatinder Singh said after the match.
The Oman skipper also explained his decision to bowl first in a day game on a small ground. “Since it was a new track, we just wanted to bowl first. Last time, we lost the toss, and they had put us in. So we just wanted to bowl first,” he explained.
Chasing a daunting target of 236, Oman began positively but lost wickets in clusters, which, according to Jatinder, proved costly.
“The message was simple. Just go out and play your shots and chase the target because at 235, you cannot play it safe. You have to play strokes. But we lost too many wickets in the span of maybe 25 runs. Till the 10th over, we were in the game; after that, we lost the grip,” he said.
With this loss, Oman is out of the Super 8 race, but despite the setback, the Oman captain stressed the need for perspective and growth. “We just have to keep our heads up. One thing to note is that, on the side, we lack experience and exposure. By playing against the top sides, we can gain that,” he said.
Oman will play their last match in the T20 World Cup 2026 on February 20 against Australia at Pallekele International Stadium.
–IANS
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