🏏ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026: M22: IRE vs Oman at Colombo🏏

🏏ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026: M22: Ireland vs Oman at Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo on 14/02/2026 at 11:00 AM IST🏏

Ireland and Oman meet in Group B with both sides yet to open their account. While qualification remains a mathematical possibility, this fixture could realistically determine who avoids the bottom spot in the group. Ireland have shown phases of competitiveness despite two defeats, whereas Oman have appeared more outmatched, suffering heavy losses in both their outings.

Ireland pushed Sri Lanka hard in their opener, competing well for long stretches before fading at key moments. Even against Australia, there were phases with the ball where they managed to apply pressure, but they were unable to sustain it across the full 20 overs. The recurring issue has been their batting depth and middle-overs stability, with promising positions not converted into match-shaping passages. For Ireland, it is less about reinvention and more about getting the small moments right as they search for their first win in this tournament.

Oman, in contrast, have endured more one-sided contests. Bowled out cheaply by Zimbabwe and then comfortably beaten by Sri Lanka, they have struggled to stitch together a complete performance across departments. There have been brief moments of resistance with the bat, but the bowling unit has not consistently threatened stronger line-ups or built sustained pressure. Against Ireland, Oman will need a clear uptick in intensity and control if they are to turn competitiveness into genuine contention and leave with something to show for their efforts.

Team News:

Ireland: Skipper Paul Stirling has been ruled out after injuring his knee while attempting a catch against Australia. Vice-captain Lorcan Tucker is set to lead the side, with Tim Tector likely to come into the XI.

Probable XI: Tim Tector, Ross Adair, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (c & wk), Curtis Campher, Benjamin Calitz, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Matthew Humphreys

Oman: If the batting faltered against Zimbabwe, the bowling struggled for control and experience against Sri Lanka. They made a couple of changes in the last game, bringing in Mohammad Nadeem and Jay Odedra. Nadeem responded with a half-century, while Odedra bowled just one over but struck with a wicket. With some positives to build on, Oman could give the same XI another opportunity.

Probable XI: Aamir Kaleem, Jatinder Singh (c), Hammad Mirza, Wasim Ali, Mohammad Nadeem, Jiten Ramanandi, Vinayak Shukla (wk), Sufyan Mehmood, Nadeem Khan, Shah Faisal, Jay Odedra

In the spotlight

Harry Tector is widely regarded as the cornerstone of Ireland's middle order and a potential future captain. Against Oman, his importance will lie in his ability to navigate the conditions in Colombo - particularly against Oman's spate of spin options. With Stirling out, even more will depend on Tector. He began the tournament promisingly with a 40 against Sri Lanka, and he will want to get back among the runs after falling for a duck against Australia.

Forty-three-year-old Mohammad Nadeem became the oldest half-centurion at a World Cup with his unbeaten 53 against Sri Lanka, which will no doubt have cemented his place in Oman's middle order after missing out on their first game. With Oman's top order showing fragility across their opening two games, his ability to anchor an innings could prove vital.

Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo Pitch Report

The Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo has been host to 10 T20I encounters thus far. Six matches have been won by chasing teams, while teams batting first have won just three, indicating a clear favour for the chasing team at the venue. The pitch at the venue is expected to be a little spin-friendly, with the match being played in the afternoon.

IRE vs OMN Head-to-Head Record in T20s

Matches Played 07

IRE Won 05

OMN Won 02

Tied / No Results 0

First-ever Fixture September 12, 2007

Last-ever Fixture Feb 22, 2022

IRE vs OMN Probable Best Performers

Probable Best Batter: Kusal Mohammad Nadeem

Oman's Mohammad Nadeem could be the best batter in the upcoming game against Ireland. Having played just one game, Nadeem scored a fifty and will be hopeful to get more runs off his bat. Nadeem is one of their most experienced players, and a lot will rely on him.

Probable Best Bowler: George Dockrell

George Dockrell could be the bowler to watch out for in the upcoming game. The 33-year-old in two games has bagged three wickets and has been one of the best bowlers for the team in this competition. His four-over spell will be crucial for the team, and he will be hoping to pick wickets at regular intervals.

Stats and trivia

• Oman's win over Ireland in the 2016 T20 World Cup was their first-ever win in a World Cup tournament.
• It was also their first-ever World Cup match. They've won just one of their next 10 games in World Cups.
• George Dockrell's 156 T20I appearances make him the third-most capped player in the format behind Stirling (163) and Rohit Sharma (159).

Quotes

"I think it's made a significant difference [to] my own career. The professionalism, dedication, preparation that he puts into every game. Just shows what it means to be a professional and captain who wants to work hard and give everything for his team."

Lorcan Tucker, who will take over Ireland's captaincy from the injured Stirling

"A lot of people are still there who were there in that historic match. We still have memories, and even last night during dinner we had a chat about that match. So hopefully one more match will come like this and we will have more memories."

Oman's Mohammad Nadeem looks to draw on the memories of Oman's 2016 T20 World Cup win over Ireland

Happy Valentine's Day, friends.Have a lovely day.

Thank you Raji for the thread and for tagging.

Best wishes to both the teams.