The opening match of the three-match series saw Ireland defeat Pakistan for the first time in men’s Twenty20 Internationals.
An outstanding 77 by former Ireland captain Andrew Balbirnie at the top of the order helped the hosts to a historic victory. The previous meeting between Ireland and Pakistan in Twenty20 International cricket was during the 2009 Men’s T20 World Cup.
With Paul Stirling for 8(5) and Lorcan Tucker for 4(7) in the second and fifth over, respectively, Ireland, chasing a target of 183, suffered early setbacks during the Powerplay.
The turning moment turned out to be the third-wicket partnership between Balbirnie and Harry Tector. To make the calculation – 79 runs required in 43 balls – the pair added 77 off 52 balls.
A little problem was presented when Imad Wasim dismissed Tector for 36 off 27 balls in the 13th over. But Balbirnie and George Dockrell changed the tide, pounding Shadab Khan for a barrage of boundaries to collect 23 runs in the over.
Ireland was up against a tight finish as 40 runs were needed in just four overs. Dockrell fell in the seventeenth over, but the hosts scored ten runs in that over to keep up the necessary run pace.
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Ireland needed 19 runs from 12 balls when Naseem Shah let up 11 runs in the 18th over. With the wicket of Balbirnie—shattered stumps—Shaheen Afridi, bowling the penultimate over, gave up just eight runs and helped Pakistan get back into the game.
In the end, Curtis Campher was the hero for Ireland, scoring two boundaries and the necessary 11 runs in the last over to win with one ball remaining.
Ireland earlier requested that Pakistan bat first. Pakistan started slowly, earning 38 runs in the Powerplay and losing Mohammad Rizwan, a crucial wicket.
Building a strong partnership of 85 runs off 57 balls, Babar Azam and Saim Ayub set the stage for a large total. Five runs short of his fifty, Gareth Delany dismissed Ayub.
Babar Azam struck fifty off 39 deliveries, but a collapse followed his removal in the fifteenth over, when Shadab Khan and Azam Khan both went for ducks.
In his 20 overs, Pakistan scored a competitive total of 182/6 thanks to a brilliant cameo by Iftikhar Ahmed, who scored 37 runs off 15 balls, including three sixes and as many fours. Shaheen contributed 14 runs in 8 balls at the other end.
The West Indies and the United States will host Group A of the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Sunday, June 16, in Florida, is when they will square off in the competition.
ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Schedule and Groups
Co-hosts USA, India, and Canada—who are competing in the event for the first time—as well as Pakistan and Ireland make up Group A of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
