Balbirnie stars as Ireland stun Pakistan in first T20I

Ireland scripted cricket history, beating Pakistan by five wickets in the first T20 International of the three-match series between the teams in Dublin on Friday night.

It was the European nation’s first T20I victory over the former World T20 champions. They defeated Pakistan back in 2007, but that win came in the 2007 ODI World Cup.

Set 183 for victory, Andrew Balbirnie produced a stunning knock as Ireland won with five wickets and a ball to spare in front of a sell-out crowd at the Clontarf Cricket Club.

Balbirnie scored 77 off 55 balls; it included 10 fours and two sixes.

In what will go down as one of Ireland’s greatest men’s T20I knocks, the former white-ball captain shared a 139-run partnership with George Dockrell (24), before Gareth Delany (10 not out) and Curtis Campher (15 not out) completed a tense finish.

Winning the toss and opting to bowl first, Harry Tector got an early breakthrough with a superb piece of fielding. Racing in from mid-on, he found Mohammad Rizwan short of his ground and reduced Pakistan to 7 for 1 in the second over.

That wicket brought Pakistan captain Babar Azam to the crease and he immediately set about building a partnership with Saim Ayub.

The pair put on an 85-run stand for the second wicket before Gareth Delany dismissed Ayub (45), who was caught by Curtis Campher in the deep.

Azam, ranked fourth in the ICC’s T20I batting rankings, soon brought up his 35th half century in theT20 format off just 39 balls. However, he too soon departed after scoring for 57, snared by Craig Young.

Azam Khan was then caught by Ben White off Young, out for a duck two deliveries later.

Barry McCarthy ran out Shadab Khan in the following over, as Pakistan lost five wickets for 31 runs, slumping from 92-1 to 123-5.

Mark Adair also picked up a wicket as Pakistan finished with 182-6.

Captain Paul Sterling gave Ireland a rousing start, dispatching Naseem Shah out of the ground in the second. However, he perished to the same bowler at the end of the same over.

Lorcan Tucker was also out in the Powerplay as Ireland put up just 43 for 2 in the first six overs.

Balbirnie and Tector then staged a strong fightback, putting on a 50-run partnership off 32 balls.

Balbirnie brought up his 11th T20I fifty at the start of the 12th over, but Tector fell for 36 to Imad Wasim. That ended a 77-run stand for the third wicket. With the score 103-4 Ireland were left requiring 79 from 43 balls.

Dockrell came to the crease and soon added momentum. He hit two sixes in Shadab Khan’s fourth and final over, which went for 23 before being dismissed for 24 off 12 balls. In the process the all-rounder completed 1,000 T20I runs.

Balbirnie departed in the penultimate over with Ireland needing 16 from eight balls for victory.

A daring reverse scoop for four by Curtis Campher off the first ball he faced paved the way for a tense finish as he and Delany knocked off the remaining runs with a ball to spare.

The second T20I is on Sunday at the same venue before Tuesday’s third and final match of the series.