MUSCAT, 22 Feb: Ireland booked its spot at this year’s T20 World Cup with a comfortable 56-run victory over host Oman in qualifying on Tuesday, as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also secured a ticket to Australia.
The Irish will be making their seventh straight appearance in the showpiece, having only missed the inaugural edition in 2007.
Andy Balbirnie’s side made a shaky start to the Global Qualifier A event, losing its first game last week to the UAE, but bounced back with successive wins to reach the semifinals.
With the two finalists to qualify, Tuesday’s last-four game was a winner-takes-all affair, and Ireland made a strong start, posting a challenging total of 165 for seven after Oman won the toss and opted to field first.
Openers Balbirnie and Paul Stirling, who had previously made three straight fifty partnerships, fell early to leave Ireland 19 for two.
But Gareth Delany struck 47 from 32 balls, before Andy McBrine added late impetus with a 21-ball 36.
Oman, which had qualified for the last two T20 World Cups, never got going with the bat and was bowled out for 105, as Irish spinners Simi Singh (3-20) and McBrine (2-24) took five wickets between them.
It was a similarly one-sided game in the other semifinal as the UAE beat previously unbeaten Nepal by 68 runs to qualify for the main tournament for only the second time. (AFP)