BAD DAY FOR IRELAND!!! Ireland was left very close to elimination from the T20 World Cup after suffering a 12-run defeat against Canada.
Nicholas Kirton’s 35-ball 49 led Canada to a solid 137-7. It’s the HIGHEST total at this venue in New York since this T20 World Cup began. The steady Barry McCarthy (2-24) was the pick of the Irish bowlers, but they struggled to get any traction with the bat.
But, Ireland failed to strike a single boundary between the sixth and fifteenth overs. This mainly caused their innings to stall. Here Canada took advantage of the situation and ensured their FIRST win in this tournament.
Canada’s Biggest Victory in the World Cup 2024
From a precarious position of 59-6 in the 13th over, an Irish victory appeared doubtful. But George Dockrell and Mark Adair gave them a fine chance with a 62-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
With 17 needed from the last over, Adair (34) skied one and was caught. It left Dockrell (30 not out) with too much to gain as Jeremy Gordon (2-16) comfortably finished off the game for the Canadians.
Ireland must now win their next two games especially, against Pakistan and the United States. We can hope that other results go their way. Canada’s victory was their largest in an International Cricket Council competition since beating Bangladesh in the 2003 World Cup.
The USA’s shocking victory against Pakistan in Texas has blasted this group wide open. This showed the importance of this match, particularly for Irish ambitions of reaching the Super 8.
A Memorable Day For Canada
In front of a small, but maybe larger-than-expected, audience of 5,153 Paul Stirling, predictably, bowled first. But the Canadians managed to make a respectable total.
Kirton, a former West Indies U19 player from Barbados, contributed well to Canada’s innings. It included 13 fours and two sixes. Kirton blasted one over from the seasoned Craig Young (2-32) for 16 runs, including two sixes down the ground. Wicketkeeper Shreyas Movva made another cameo appearance in the lower order, scoring 37 from 36 balls.
Ireland’s batting appeared undercooked in their crushing defeat to India, and they lost vital wickets here due to some good bowling and poor shot selection.
Highlights and Reactions
Stirling top-edged a pull. Whereas, a gem from left-arm spinner Saad Bin Zafar bowled Harry Tector. Lorcan Tucker unnecessarily exhausted himself. Adair and Dockrell briefly had the Irish supporters on their side. But those 54 boundary-less balls proved expensive.
It was a well-deserved victory for Canada!!! Canada is an Associate member of the International Cricket Council. They had put themselves in a similar situation against the United States in their first game but controlled things in the end.
Ireland skipper Paul Stirling stated, “It was a challenging race today; we weren’t really at the races throughout. We started gently and maintained that pace throughout the day.
“I believe we just need to improve all around. We were off in all three areas today, and that wasn’t acceptable. Hopefully, we can play better when we travel to Miami next week.”
Nicholas Kirton, the match’s MVP, said, “That’s very good to get our first win in the World Cup, perhaps we will go on from strength to strength.”
Also Read: Ramiz Raja Speaks Out On the Amir’s Poor Performance in PAK vs USA Clash
About the Author
Zartash Zulfiqar is a passionate cricket writer whose love for cricket shines through in every word. From match analyses to player profiles, she delivers insightful commentary that resonates with fans worldwide. Stay tuned for the latest from the world of cricket, brought to you by Zartash.
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