T20 World Cup: Ireland stuns West Indies to deny WC winners spot in Super 12 round

The T20 World Cup has lost its first title contender with past winner West Indies knocked out by Ireland in a group stage boilover. 

Ireland has written a new chapter in its cricket folklore with a do or die nine-wicket victory at Bellerive Oval sending the West Indies sensationally packing from the T20 World Cup and booking their place in the Super 12 stage of the tournament.

 

It was a win for the ages from the men in green who chased down the 146/5 total set by the Windies in just 17.3 overs.

Opening duo Andrew Balbirnie and Richard Stirling, who combined for just 25 in the opening two games, played like a pair possessed and combined for the highest opening partnership of the tournament so far.

Ireland's Barry McCarthy (R) celebrates his wicket of West Indies' Kyle Mayers.

The openers smashed 11 boundaries in the opening seven overs, bringing up the 50 partnership in just 4.2 overs and finishing the power play with 64/0, 23 runs and two wickets ahead of where the West Indies stood in the opening innings.

Balbirnie finished with 37 off 23, combining with Stirling for a 73-run opening stand as the pair guided Ireland into the Super 12 stage of the World Cup for the first time since 2009.

After Balbirnie was dismissed in the eighth over, Stirling continued on and finished with 66 off 48 at a strike rate of 137.50 in one of the most memorable innings by an Irish cricketer in twenty-twenty history, earning match of the man honours for his performance.

Third-man in Lorcan Tucker played a nice cameo role with 45 off 35 and combined with Stirling for a 77-run partnership.

Requiring just 57 runs from the last ten overs, Stirling and Tucker were able to put together a clinical finish to the innings to the delight of the Irish fans in attendance.

It’s a disappointing finish to the World Cup for the Windies with the two-time champions winning just the one game against Zimbabwe on Wednesday and finishing with two shock losses to Scotland and Ireland.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, the Windies top order was saved from disaster by Brandon King with the right-hander finishing unbeaten on 62 from 48 balls and giving his side something solid enough to defend.

But after Ireland’s performance with the bat, it was a case of good but not good enough for King and the West Indies who will rue their stint in Hobart given they headed in as the seventh-ranked T20 team in the world.

Spinner Gareth Delany was the pick of the bowlers for Ireland, finishing with figures of 3/16 while Akeal Hosein picked up the only wicket for the West Indies and finished with 1/38.

Ireland will now face either Sri Lanka or South Africa next week at Bellerive Oval.

Ireland's Gareth Delany (C) celebrates his wicket of West Indies' Evin Lewis.

Originally published as T20 World Cup: Ireland stuns West Indies to deny WC winners spot in Super 12 round