Oman timed a tricky chase to perfection against Ireland to get up and running in style.
Having opted to bowl, Oman produced a quickfire double breakthrough when both Irish openers fell in successive deliveries, Paul Stirling (23) pulling to mid-wicket before Andy McBrine (20) chipped to mid-off.
Harry Tector and Andy Balbirnie were tasked with the rebuild and while Tector survived a let-off on four when he almost played on to his stumps, Ireland’s skipper was not so fortunate as he edged behind to depart for seven.
Lorcan Tucker’s cameo ended on 26 from 18 balls when he was clean bowled by a beauty from Ayaan Khan and Oman’s bowlers kept the pressure on, Tector’s cut to the point fence in the 33rd over ending a 43-ball wait for a boundary.
The in-form Tector, who made an unbeaten 149 in a warm-up win over USA, fell for 52 on this occasion as he was caught at long-on but Dockrell navigated the death overs and ended the innings in style by clearing the ropes to finish unbeaten on a career-best 91 from 89 deliveries.
Aqib Ilyas injected momentum into the reply, striking three consecutive boundaries in the seventh over as Oman recovered from the early loss of Jatinder Singh (1).
The second-wicket stand was worth 94 when Aqib fell to Dockrell for 52, which brought Oman’s captain to the crease alongside Kashyap Prajapati.
They each made half-centuries, Kashyap excelling with a 74-ball 72 and Zeeshan 59, but Josh Little removed both to keep Irish hopes alive.
The final 10 overs arrived with Oman requiring 51 and though Ayaan Khan fell for a run-a-ball 21, Mohammad Nadeem and Shoaib Khan (19 not out) completed the job.
Oman beat Ireland at Bulawayo Athletic Club, Bulawayo by five wickets
Ireland 281/7 in 50 overs (George Dockrell 91*, Harry Tector 52; Bilal Khan 2/64, Fayyaz Butt 2/65)
Oman 285/5 in 48.1 overs (Kashyap Prajapati 72, Zeeshan Maqsood 59; Josh Little 2/47, Mark Adair 2/61)
