SYLHET, Bangladesh: Opener Paul Stirling smashed 60 off 34 balls to set Ireland up for a last-ball victory over Zimbabwe in their first-round match in the World Twenty20 championship yesterday.
Stirling’s fifth Twenty20 half-century, including nine fours and a six, helped Ireland to a three-wicket victory on St Patrick’s Day at the Sylhet stadium.
Ireland needed four runs off the last over but lost Ed Joyce (22) and Max Sorensen, run out without scoring, before winning through a bye off the last ball of the over — bowled by paceman Tinashe Panyangara who finished with 4-37. Stirling and skipper William Porterfield, who scored a 23-ball 31 with three fours and a six, had given Ireland a fiery 80-run start in 8.2 overs as their run chase began confidently.
A ruthless Stirling hit paceman Panyangara for four boundaries in one over before he fell with the total on 100. Ireland then lost three quick wickets to Panyangara, including that of hard-hitting Kevin O’Brien (17), before their last-gasp victory.
Zimbabwe earlier owed their total to a solid 46-ball 59 by Brendan Taylor. The Zimbabwe skipper hit six boundaries and two towering sixes, while Elton Chigumbura made 22 and Hamilton Masakadza scored 21.
But spinners George Dockrell (2-18) and debutant Andy McBrine (2-26) restricted Zimbabwe to 163-5 in their 20 overs. The Group B defeat has put Zimbabwe in a tight corner as only one team will go on from each of the two Groups into the Super-10 stage. Hosts Bangladesh beat Afghanistan and debutant Nepal downed Hong Kong in Group A matches on the opening day of the World Twenty20 on Sunday. The two top teams from each Group will join the top eight seeds in the Super-10 stage, starting from March 21.
The Netherlands eased to a six-wicket win against first-timers United Arab Emirates in other opening round of the World Twenty20 at Sylhet Stadium.
Opener Stephan Myburgh hit a punishing 36-ball 55 with two sixes and seven boundaries to help the Netherlands overhaul a modest 152-run target with seven balls to spare. It was a clinical finish by the Netherlands who are vying to progress from Group B for a place in the main rounds. In Group A Bangladesh and Nepal registered wins on the opening day on Sunday.
Six qualifiers along with hosts Bangladesh and Zimbabwe are competing in the first round and winners of each group will then contest the Super-10 round with the top eight Test nations — Australia, Pakistan, South Africa, England, New Zealand, India, Sri Lanka and the West Indies — from March 21.
Michael Swart (26) partnered Myburgh in a quickfire 69-run opening stand as the two put their team on the right track within the first seven overs. Swart hit three boundaries and a six off just 16 balls while Wesley Barresi (24) and Tom Cooper, who was 34 not out with four boundaries and a six, completed the task.
UAE, who won the toss and batted, lost their openers for 12 runs after just ten deliveries before Swapnil Patil (23) and skipper Khurram Khan (31) put on 67 for the third wicket to steady the innings.
Shaiman Anwar, who hit a solid 19-ball 32 with the help of four boundaries and a six, lifted the UAE past the 150-run mark.
Rohan Mustafa made 20 before medium pacer Ahsan Malik stopped the final over slog with a career best 3-16.
Cooper took 2-18 to complete an all-round performance for the Netherlands.AFP
