June 17th 2024.
It was an electrifying finish to Pakistan's T20 World Cup journey as they clinched a nail-biting three-wicket victory over Ireland in their Group A match. The star players Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi played a crucial role in guiding their team to a much-needed win.
Although Pakistan made the chase more complicated than it needed to be, they managed to secure the victory with a combination of timely breakthroughs and a late surge from Shaheen. The match began with Pakistan's bowlers wreaking havoc on Ireland's top order. Shaheen Afridi was in top form, breaking his eight-match streak without a first-over wicket. His swing bowling skills were on full display as he dismantled Andrew Balbirnie's defense with a perfect inswinger, followed by getting Lorcan Tucker to edge one to Mohammad Rizwan.
Shaheen's early dominance left Ireland struggling at 32 for 6, with Mohammad Amir and Haris Rauf also contributing with crucial wickets. However, Ireland showed a gritty resistance through Gareth Delany and Mark Adair, who put together a partnership of 44 runs off just 30 balls. They took on Shadab Khan and Abbas Afridi, keeping the scoreboard ticking.
In his likely final game for Pakistan, Imad Wasim was exceptional with figures of 3 for 8 in his four overs, cleaning up the lower order. A determined cameo from Josh Little, who scored 22, helped Ireland reach a respectable total of 106.
Pakistan's chase started off smoothly with Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan, and Babar Azam making steady progress. By the eighth over, they seemed to be cruising, taking the sting out of the Irish attack. However, a sudden collapse in the middle overs saw Curtis Campher and Barry McCarthy snatch four wickets for just 10 runs, leaving Babar stranded with a long tail to navigate.
With the game hanging in the balance, Abbas Afridi played a crucial role, scoring a quick 17 and bringing down the target to just 12 runs. An unfortunate calf injury to Josh Little forced Ireland to rely on spin against Shaheen Afridi, who seized the moment by smashing two sixes and sealing the win for Pakistan.
Ireland's fightback, led by Delany and Adair, was commendable. They understood the importance of attacking to score runs, and their aggressive approach against Shadab and Abbas Afridi kept them in the game. Even when they lost wickets in clusters, the last-wicket stand between Little and Ben White, which added an unbeaten 26 runs, ensured they had a competitive total to defend.
In the end, Pakistan's victory was more of a relief than a celebration. While their bowlers, especially Shaheen, set up the match brilliantly, the middle-order collapse exposed the team's vulnerabilities. Nonetheless, Babar's steady hand and Shaheen's late heroics ensured Pakistan finished their campaign on a high note.
Brief Scores:
Ireland 106 for 9 in 20 overs lost to Pakistan 111 for 7 in 18.5 overs by three wickets.
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