Ireland defeated the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by 57 runs in the first T20I at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium to take a 0-1 lead in the two-match series.
The highlight of the match was the historic milestone of Irish captain Paul Stirling, who broke Rohit Sharma’s world record for most appearances by playing his 160th T20 International.
Brief Match Details
| Team | Score | Highlights (Batting) | Highlights (Bowling) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland | 178/6 (20 overs) | Russ Adair (39), Lorcan Tucker (38) | Gareth Delaney (3/26), Matthew Humphries (3/26) |
| UAE | 121 (19.5 overs) | Mohammad Wasim (40), Aryanesh Sharma (23) | Junaid Siddique (2/36), Haider Ali (2/31) |
Ireland’s innings: Russ Adair and Tucker bat aggressively
Ireland won the toss and elected to bat first. Although captain Paul Stirling was dismissed early, Russ Adair (39 runs) and Lorcan Tucker (38 runs) took charge of the innings. Thanks to the rapid batting of George Dockrell and Ben Keltz in the last overs, Ireland posted a total of 178 runs in the allotted 20 overs. Junaid Siddique and Haider Ali took two wickets each for the UAE.
UAE’s counter-attack and middle-order failure
Chasing a target of 179 runs, the UAE started well. Captain Mohammad Wasim (40 runs) and Aryanesh Sharma (23 runs) put on a 50-run partnership for the first wicket. However, as soon as this partnership broke, the UAE middle order proved to be a wall of sand.
Magic of Irish Spinners
Irish spinners Gareth Delaney and Matthew Humphreys bowled devastatingly and destroyed the UAE batting line-up. Both bowlers took 3 wickets for 26 runs each. The entire UAE team was bowled out for 121 runs in 19.5 overs.
Man of the Match: Gareth Delaney was adjudged the best player of the match for his brilliant bowling.
Now the second and final match of the series between the two teams will be played on January 31, 2026.