Pakistan won by 3 wickets against Ireland on July 16, 2024, t20 World Cup. ( Google Photos)
After being defeated by the USA, Pakistan secure a victory by beating Ireland over 3 wickets; ending the disappointing T20 World Cup campaign for both teams at Lauderhill.
The match remained competitive until the 19th over when Shaheen Afridi hit two crucial sixes, ensuring Pakistan's win with seven balls remaining.
Pakistan had a strong start, with Afridi taking two wickets in the first over, leaving Ireland struggling at 4-3 in the second over.
The top five Irish batsmen failed to reach double figures, but Gareth Delany’s aggressive 31 off 19 balls and Josh Little’s 22 not out helped Ireland post a total of 106-9.
In their chase, Pakistan seemed to be in control but faltered, losing four wickets for 10 runs and slumping to 62-6 after 11 overs. Babar Azam, however, held the innings together with a steady unbeaten 32, leading his team to victory.
Despite their spirited effort in Florida, Ireland ended at the bottom of Group A without a win, while Pakistan had already been knocked out of Super 8s contention. This match marked the end of the tournament's USA leg, with the remaining games set to be played in the Caribbean.
The game seemed to be a chance for Pakistan to exit the tournament on a high note, especially after their fast bowlers decimated the Irish top order. Afridi bowled Andy Balbirnie for a duck with a swinging yorker and had Lorcan Tucker caught behind in the same over. Mohammad Amir then dismissed Paul Stirling, and Afridi trapped Harry Tector lbw, leaving Ireland reeling after just three overs.
Although Ireland struggled throughout their innings, their early collapse was their downfall. Despite their valiant effort in the field, neither team will be pleased as they exit the tournament.
Pakistan, who were runners-up in 2022, had high hopes of winning the trophy but fell short of expectations. Ireland also underperformed, particularly in their defeat to Canada.
Both teams will now regroup and focus on the next T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka and India, less than two years away.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam reflected, "We have a good bunch of players. Let’s go home and see where we’ve lacked, where we're not good enough. Positives are that we had close games but didn’t finish well. We have good players but we have not performed as a team."
Ireland captain Paul Stirling commented, "We didn't start the day terribly well and they put pressure on us early on. That was the difference in the end. With the ball, you can throw the towel in and lose by eight wickets, but we didn't. I'm proud of the fight we showed."
