Coming off a disappointing outing in their previous game, Ireland bounced back in style, posting 235\/5 in 20 overs before bowling Oman out for 139 in 18 overs. Tucker led from the front with an unbeaten 94, narrowly missing out on a century as later Joshua Little picked 3-16 to seal an emphatic victory.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cPrevious game wasn\u2019t one of our best days. Things didn\u2019t work out for us, but we just turned it around and played with positivity today. We knew they were a good side. We\u2019ve played against them before and we haven\u2019t always beaten them. They\u2019re competitive. It\u2019s important to respect your opposition,\u201d Tucker said after the match.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ireland lost early wickets after being put in to bat, but Tucker stitched together a match-defining 101-run partnership with Gareth Delany, who smashed 56 off 30 balls. George Dockrell then provided the late flourish with a nine-ball 35 to propel Ireland to the highest first-innings total of the ongoing tournament.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Reflecting on the batting effort, Tucker admitted the power play was a mixed phase. \u201cWe hit a lot of boundaries and probably lost a few more wickets than we had planned to. But we were just trying to keep the momentum moving. The pitch was good, the outfield was quick, and we tried to capitalise where we could.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Lorcan, who is captaining the side for the first time in the tournament, also spoke about the leadership role.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt\u2019s maybe a little tougher than batting at the start. There\u2019s more responsibility, especially if we lose wickets early. I\u2019ve grown into it and gotten more familiar with batting against spin through the middle. I had to put a lot of work in, but luckily it came off today,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With the win significantly boosting Ireland\u2019s net run rate, Tucker believes the team remains in contention for the Super 8 stage. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt\u2019s maybe a little tougher than batting at the start. There\u2019s more responsibility, especially if we lose wickets early. I\u2019ve grown into it and gotten more familiar with batting against spin through the middle. I had to put a lot of work in, but luckily it came off today,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ireland will play their last match in the group stage on February 17 against Zimbabwe at Pallekele International Stadium.<\/p>\r\n\r\n