In a stunning upset, Pakistan suffered a historic five-wicket loss against Ireland in the opening T20I of the series in Dublin. The cricketing world was left stunned as the Associate nation defied the odds to script a remarkable victory over the formidable Men in Green. At the heart of the defeat was the candid admission from Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam, who pulled no punches in his assessment of his team’s dismal performance.
“We didn’t start well in the first 6 overs; the pitch was a bit two-paced and had some bounce. We recovered well after that and got 182 but I think 190 was a par score,” he said. However, it was Pakistan’s lacklustre bowling and sloppy fielding that ultimately proved their undoing, according to the skipper. “But I think we lost due to the bowling and fielding. We didn’t execute our plans and had some sloppy lapses in the field which cost us,” Babar added.
Pakistan’s Bowling Woes
Babar’s scathing remarks were not without merit, as Pakistan’s vaunted bowling attack, spearheaded by the fiery Shaheen Shah Afridi, faltered under pressure. Shadab Khan, typically economical, leaked 54 runs from his four overs, while Naseem Shah and Abbas Afridi also struggled to contain the Irish batters.
The Batting Heroics
Chasing a daunting target of 183, Ireland’s openers Andrew Balbirnie and Paul Stirling provided a solid start, laying the foundation for the remarkable chase. Balbirnie, in particular, was the star of the show, his innings of 77 off just 55 deliveries laced with seven boundaries and two maximums.
The right-hander’s intelligent batting, coupled with crucial partnerships with Harry Tector (36) and George Dockrell (24*), kept Ireland in the hunt throughout the innings. With 16 runs required off the final over, it was Curtis Campher who played the decisive hand, smashing an unbeaten 15 off just 7 balls to guide his team across the line with a ball to spare.
Pakistan’s Batting Woes
While Pakistan posted a competitive total of 182/6, their batting lineup also failed to fire on all cylinders. Barring Babar Azam’s resolute 57 and Iftikhar Ahmed’s quickfire 37, the rest of the batters struggled to cope with the Irish bowling attack.
The unexpected hero for Ireland was Craig Young, who not only dismissed the dangerous Babar but also accounted for Azam Khan’s wicket in the same over, derailing Pakistan’s momentum in the middle overs.
Historic Moment for Irish Cricket
This victory against a cricketing powerhouse like Pakistan marks a watershed moment for Irish cricket. Not only did they claim their maiden T20I win over the Men in Green, but they also gained valuable momentum ahead of their much-anticipated clash against Pakistan in the upcoming T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies.