In the first T20 International, Ireland toppled Pakistan 183-5 (19.5 overs) (Andrew Balbirnie 77, Harry Tector 36; Abbas Afridi 2-36) versus Pakistan’s 182-6 (20 overs) (Babar Azam 57, Saim Ayub 45; Craig Young 2-27), securing a 5-wicket triumph. After recent issues with contentious corporate vehicles, drawn-out contract talks, and disappointing World Cup qualification attempts, Irish cricket needed a ray of positivity. Andrew Balbirnie and the team promptly delivered, spearheading their homeland’s impressive five-wicket win against Pakistan at Castle Avenue, Clontarf. The victory marked a fitting start to the domestic summer season.
Making a critical contribution to the win, Balbirnie scored an impressive 77 runs, his second-highest T20I tally. Yet, it was the combined effort of the team, including Harry Tector’s score of 36, George Dockrell’s 24, Gareth Delany’s unbeaten 10, and an audacious 15 not out by Curtis Campher that made the hard-earned victory possible in a tight but immensely thrilling final over where Ireland chased down Pakistan’s 183 score.
Earlier in the day, Ireland, choosing to field after winning the toss, saw Babar Azam (57) as the leading scorer for Pakistan. After an initially slow start, the visiting team beefed up their tally on a pitch with variable pace.
Mark Adair, entrusting the benefactors of interference cases was going nowhere, kicked off the proceedings with the new ball justifying Ireland’s decision. However, it was the sterling work in the field that outshone all as a confused interaction between Mohammad Rizwan and opening partner Saim Ayub gave Tector an opportunity to run Rizwan out with a sharp throw, opening the scoreboard for Ireland.
Despite a challenging final five overs that saw Pakistan seize 66 runs, an Irish team found their strength in an unlikely hero. Barry McCarthy, though not successful as a bowler in this game, made key contributions to the match. These included a few spectacle-worthy moments, such as just missing a phenomenal diving catch, making a remarkable save on the boundary, and a skillfully executed kick to the stumps, resulting in the run out of Shadab Khan. McCarthy further demonstrated his capability with a hard-fought catch that dismissed Fakhar Zaman.
The Irish team found themselves with a precarious start as they started off losing Paul Stirling and Lorcan Tucker during the powerplay. However, Tector and Balbirnie stepped up. Tector, who started his innings strong, interacted well with Balbirnie, who took advantage of Pakistan’s spinners with commanding shots.
Tector was caught out by Imad Wasim, leading to Dockrell’s introduction to the game. Despite previous struggles when starting against spin, he batted impressively against Shadab’s leg spin. Ireland was presented with a fortunate break when Iftikhar Ahmed mistakenly stood on the boundary while attempting to secure a catch.
The game intensified with Ireland needing 19 runs from the last 12 deliveries, and the win predictor placing Ireland’s chances at 85 per cent. However, Shaheen Afridi’s delivery tabled Balbirnie for 77, leaving the Irish side with a challenging task.
Ranked above usual finisher Adair, Campher came in next, stunning spectators and opponents alike with his audacious reverse ramp over the wicketkeeper, helping the Irish side to reach the boundary as the pressure built. Another boundary was achieved with an upper cut, followed by a critical flick off the pads that equalised the score. With only one run needed on the second to last ball, Ireland successfully scrambled for the single, securing their first-ever T20I victory over Pakistan.
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