Ireland’s World Cup has begun with two straight defeats, leaving them fourth in the group table and still without a point. They will back their greater experience and overall squad quality to turn that around against Oman.
Oman, captained by Jatinder Singh, are in the same position. They have also lost both of their games so far and are just as eager to get off the mark.
The conditions point to a modest contest. The new ball should come on nicely in the first six to eight overs, but once spinners settle, scoring is likely to slow considerably. Ireland have slightly more batting depth, while Oman’s tidy bowling should make runs hard to come by. A win for either side would keep their qualification hopes alive.
