T20 World Cup: 94 Lorcan Tucker keeps Ireland’s hopes alive in Group B

While Tucker filled in for the injured Paul Sterling as captain, it was Tim Tector who opened the batting in place of the Belfast man.

However, Ireland’s struggle for a top-tier partnership continued, with Shakeel Ahmed doing the damage.

The 38-year-old celebrated the wicket in the style of Portuguese pacer Cristiano Ronaldo, taking out Tim Tector (5), Ross Adair (14) and Harry Tector (14) during a power play with Ireland somewhat reeling at 47-3 after six overs.

With Curtis Campher, who made 12 off seven balls, unable to get around either, it was up to all-rounder Gareth Delaney to combine with Tucker and give Ireland’s innings some much-needed momentum.

The duo’s 101-run partnership off 56 balls took Ireland from a shaky start to a position that would result in their highest ever T20 international total.

While there were seven boundaries between Delany’s 56 off 30 balls, it was Tucker’s effort that provided the headline.

An innovative knock that included 10 fours and four sixes, the only scare came when Vinayak Shukla, with Ireland 67-4, appeared to have him stumped only for the third umpire to rule that the Omani wicket-keeper had taken out the bails without the ball in hand.

Tucker certainly made the most of the deadline, and continued to push for his best knock of the tournament so far, surpassing Tim Seifert’s 89 against the United Arab Emirates for New Zealand.

He would end the innings frustratingly at the non-striker’s end, denied the chance of what would have been a maiden T20 century as George Dockrell, who plundered 35 off nine balls, faced the final three deliveries.