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DUBAI, UAE – Ireland Men completed a decisive win against UAE at the Dubai Cricket Stadium this evening as the visitors continue their preparation for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next month.

It was a world-topping day in Dubai as Paul Stirling played in his 160th T20 international, which now makes him the most capped Men’s T20I player of all time moving past India’s Rohit Sharma (159).

After Stirling won the toss and opted to bat first, he began with two fours from the first two deliveries courtesy of thick outside edges. However, next ball the Belfast-born opener perfectly middled an uppish square drive straight to Harshit Kaushik at point.

After Stirling’s dismissal, Ross Adair and Harry Tector looked to consolidate proceedings – putting on 26 in quick time, before Tector was run out by Muhammad Jawadullah in a misjudged attempt at a quick single.

Lorcan Tucker then entered the fray and the runs began to flow. Ross Adair, who had missed out on a big score in the Italian series, found the rope 5 times and big six over mid-wicket, but a skiddy delivery by Muhammad Arfan on a quick surface accounted for Adair in the 9th over.

That brought Tucker and Curtis Campher together – the pair put on 55 runs before the left-arm spinner Haider Ali put an end to both batters in the 15th over.

But some lofty hitting from both Ben Calitz (26 off 12) and George Dockrell (22 off 10) pushed Ireland’s total to just under 180 – a tough target on a wearing pitch.

The UAE openers started well, and it wasn’t until the seventh over when Ireland eventually got their first wicket – Gareth Delany achieving the breakthrough thanks to a good catch in the deep by Harry Tector coming off the mid-wicket boundary.

Dockrell picked up the second wicket with his left arm spin and bowled tightly to continue his good form with the ball.

However, it was Delany with the help of Matthew Humphreys who scythed through the UAE middle order to decisively take the home side out of the game. Both spinners eventually finished with the exact same figures of 4-0-26-3.

Barry McCarthy wrapped up the UAE innings in the final over and Ireland had prevailed by 57 runs.

Ireland next play UAE in the second game of the T20I series on 31 January.

MATCH SUMMARY

Ireland Men v UAE Men, 1st T20I, Dubai, 29 January 2026

IRELAND 178-6 (20 overs; R Adair 39, L Tucker 38; H Ali 2-31)
UAE 121 (19.5 overs; M Waseem 40; G Delany 3-26, M Humphreys 3-26)

Ireland won by 57 runs

Scorecard here