Balbirnie stars as Ireland stun Pakistan i first T20

Ireland opener Andy Balbirnie Friday starred with the bat as his team successfully chased a target of 183 runs in 19.5 runs to inflict the defeat on Pakistan in the first T20 in Dublin.

Balbirnie made 77 runs off 55 balls that included 10 boundaries and two sixes. He was bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi in the penultimate over but Pakistan bowlers failed to keep Ireland from reaching the target.

Naseem Shah and Abbas Afridi struck early to reduce Ireland to 2-27 in 4.1 overs as Pakistan were sensing a regulation victory. However, Balbirnie had the other idea as he added 77 runs for the third wicket with Harry Tector for the third wicket. Tector made 36 runs off 27 balls when he became victim of Imad Wasim.

George Dockrell played a whirlwind innings of 12-ball 24 runs and both Balbirnie and Dockrell scored 23 runs in 14^th over bowled by Shadab Khan that turned the match in Ireland’s favour. Despite losing Dockrell and Balibirine, Ireland batters kept their nerves and took their team to victory line. Shadab conceded 54 runs off his four overs without taking a wicket.

Gareth Delany made an unbeaten 10 runs off 6 balls and Curtis Campher remained unbeaten for his 7-ball 15 runs including three fours.

For Pakistan, Shaeen took 1-26, Naseem 1-37, Abbas Afridi 2-36 and Imad 1-28.

Earlier, Pakistan posted 182/6 in the first T20I against Ireland after being put into bat at the Clontarf Cricket Club, Dublin.

Skipper Babar Azam starred with 57 off 43 balls while Saim Ayub made 29-ball 45. Iftikhar Ahmed chipped in with 15-ball 37*.

Visitors lost Mohammad Rizwan (1) early in the innings. Babar paired with Saim to provide stability to the innings with an 85-run stand.

Saim was caught by Campher off the bowling of Delany after scoring 45 runs off 29 balls, including four boundaries and three sixes.

Meanwhile, Babar crossed fifty for the 38th time in T20Is. He was caught by Mark Adair off the bowling of Craig Young, scoring 57 runs from 43 deliveries.

Pakistan struggled for a bit where they lost four wickets for 31 runs but Iftikhar covered the runs at the backend.

He smoked 15-ball 37, powered by three fours and as many sixes. Shaheen Shah Afridi also remained unbeaten, scoring 13 runs from 7 deliveries, hitting two sixes, with a strike rate of 185.71.

For Ireland, Young was the best bowler, finishing with figures of 2/27.

Ireland elect to field

Ireland Friday won the toss and elected to bowl first against Pakistan in the first of the three T20 matches series at Dublin.

Wicket-keeper batsman Azam Khan returned for Pakistan for the first T20 as he replaced Usman Khan from the line-up that played New Zealand at home in the recently concluded series.

Muhammad Rizwan, who was forced to sit out in the last two T20s against New Zealand due to an injury, also returned to the side. Shaheen Shah Afridi is leading the pace attack that also includes Naseem Shah and Abbas Afridi.

Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Iftikhar Ahmad and Saim Ayub are other Pakistan bowling options for the match.

Squads:

Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Azam Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abbas Afridi.

Ireland: Paul Stirling (c), Mark Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Barry McCarthy, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Ben White, Craig Young.