Matthew Humphreys and Gareth Delany claimed three wickets apiece to help Ireland register a 57-run victory over United Arab Emirates in their Twenty20 series opener in Dubai.
Ireland posted 178 for six in the World Cup warm-up with Ross Adair able to top score with a 29-ball innings of 39.
Set an imposing total, UAE were dismissed for 121 with one ball of their innings left with Humphreys and Delany both able to pick up figures of three for 26.
After Ireland captain Paul Stirling won the toss and elected to bat, he was out for eight but fellow opener Adair smashed six boundaries and was well supported by Lorcan Tucker, who added two maximums in his well-crafted 38.
Ben Calitz struck 26 not out and George Dockrell's unbeaten 22 helped Ireland get up to 178, which looked within reach when Muhammad Waseem got UAE off to a flying start.
Delany halted the hosts’ momentum with the dismissal of Aryansh Sharma for 23 before Humphreys sent captain Waseem back for 40 and the duo ripped through the rest of the UAE order to earn Ireland victory in the first of the two-match series ahead of next month’s World Cup.
