Ireland won their first T20I against Pakistan at Clontarf Cricket Club in Dublin on Friday in the opening of the three-match series. The Irish hosted Pakistan in T20Is for the first time and defeated them by five wickets.
Ireland wins first T20I against Pakistan
The Green Shirts lost against Andrew Balbirnie and Harry Tector after Pakistan took two wickets in the first five overs with Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi. After a dismal start, the Irish hitters produced a solid 77-run combination against Pakistan’s bowling assault to bring the home team back into the game. Balbirnie kept scoring after Tector left after 36 runs. Ireland’s innings were revitalized by George Dockrell’s 24 runs on 12 balls with four boundaries, which turned the match around.
Shaheen took two wickets, and Abbas Afridi, Imad Wasim, and Naseem Shah took one. After Shaheen dismissed Balbirnie, Gareth Delany (10 on 6) and Curtis Campher (15 on 7) led Pakistan to win. Babar Azam scored 57 off 43 balls and Saim Ayub 45 off 29 balls to help Pakistan score 182/6 in the first innings. Iftikhar Ahmed scored 15-ball 37*.
The Men in Green lost Mohammad Rizwan (1) early. Babar and Saim’s 85-run stand stabilised the innings. Campher caught Saim off Delany’s bowling after 45 runs off 29 balls, including four boundaries and three sixes.
Babar reached fifty for the 38th time in T20Is. He scored 57 runs off 43 deliveries until Mark Adair caught him off Craig Young’s bowling. After losing four wickets for 31 runs, Iftikhar covered the runs. He hit three fours and sixes in 15 balls to score 37. Shaheen Shah Afridi also remained undefeated, making 13 runs from 7 deliveries with two sixes at 185.71.
