Pakistan secured a three-wicket victory over Ireland in their final match of the T20 World Cup, held in Florida on Sunday. After the first three games at the venue were abandoned due to heavy rain causing a waterlogged outfield, Pakistan managed to restrict Ireland to 106-9 in their Group A finale.
The Irish team found themselves struggling at 32-6 by the seventh over. Left-arm seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi spearheaded the attack, claiming three early wickets and dismantling Ireland’s top order. Mohammad Amir also contributed significantly, taking two wickets on a pitch that offered considerable assistance to the fast bowlers.
Gareth Delany provided a brief respite for Ireland, scoring 31 runs off 19 balls, including three sixes. His efforts, along with a 44-run partnership with Mark Adair, helped stabilize the innings. However, Delany’s resistance ended when Imad Wasim’s slow left-arm spin found the edge, leading to a catch by Shadab Khan. Adair, trying to maintain momentum, was dismissed for 15 when he hit Imad to long on, where Afridi took the catch despite a collision with Usman Khan.
Imad Wasim was the standout bowler for Pakistan, finishing with three wickets for eight runs in his four overs. Barry McCarthy was bowled by Imad, but Josh Little added valuable runs lower down the order with an unbeaten 22, pushing Ireland past the 100-run mark.
In reply, Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam had chosen to bowl first after winning the toss. The pro-Pakistan crowd, having waited through abandoned matches, were treated to high-quality opening bowling. Despite the challenging conditions and the fact that both teams were already eliminated from the tournament, Pakistan aimed to finish above Canada in third place, while Ireland sought their first win.
The match was a dead rubber in terms of qualification, with India and the USA already securing the top two spots in the group and advancing to the Super Eights stage. Pakistan had only one win in the tournament, suffering losses to India and the USA, whereas Ireland had yet to secure a victory.
The conditions in Lauderhill had been challenging due to persistent heavy rain and a soaked outfield, which led to the cancellation of earlier matches. However, Sunday’s brighter forecast allowed the game to proceed, giving both teams a chance to play despite the wet conditions of the previous days.
