194/7 (20.0)
CR : 9.70
256/5 (20.0)
CR : 12.80
West Indies won by 62 runs 🏆
Player of the Match
Evin Lewis
91(44)
WI won by 62 runs
11:04 PM IST, 6:34 PM Local Time: A comprehensive win for West Indies as they thump the hosts by 62 runs to seal the series 1-0, with the first two games washed out due to rain.
Earlier, after being invited to bat first, the West Indies got off to a flying start as openers Evin Lewis and Shai Hope came out all guns blazing. Both batters notched up their fifties in no time, stitching together a commanding 122-run opening stand. Hope departed soon after reaching his milestone, but Lewis continued the onslaught and raced into the 90s. Unfortunately, he fell agonisingly short of a century, dismissed for 91.
Rovman Powell (2) and Shimron Hetmyer (15) failed to make an impact with the bat and departed cheaply. However, debutant Keacy Carty came out all guns blazing, smashing an unbeaten 49 off just 22 balls, while Romario Shepherd added a quickfire cameo of 19* off 6 deliveries, propelling the visitors to a total in excess of 250.
It was a forgettable outing for the Irish bowlers, as apart from Matthew Humphreys (2/16), the rest were taken to the cleaners. Debutant Liam McCarthy had a tough day, conceding a record 81 runs in his four overs — the most ever by an Irish bowler in a T20I.
In reply, Paul Stirling began the chase with a hat-trick of fours off Akeal Hosein, but the skipper couldn't carry on for long as Jason Holder struck with the first ball of the second over, dismissing the Irish captain for 13.
Ross Adair (48) and Harry Tector (38) looked in sublime touch and kept the scoreboard ticking at a healthy rate, keeping the hosts in the hunt. The duo stitched a century stand for the second wicket, but a sudden collapse - triggered by the dismissal of both set batters - saw Ireland slump from 114/1 to 161/7.
Mark Adair (31*) provided some late entertainment with a flurry of runs, but it was too little, too late for the hosts as they eventually finished on 194/7 in 20 overs.
Akeal Hosein shone with the ball for West Indies, claiming three wickets for 27 runs in his 4-over spell. Jason Holder bagged a couple of wickets but conceded 49 runs in 4 overs. Romario Shepherd and Roston Chase chipped in with one wicket each.
Stay tuned for the presentation.......
Earlier, after being invited to bat first, the West Indies got off to a flying start as openers Evin Lewis and Shai Hope came out all guns blazing. Both batters notched up their fifties in no time, stitching together a commanding 122-run opening stand. Hope departed soon after reaching his milestone, but Lewis continued the onslaught and raced into the 90s. Unfortunately, he fell agonisingly short of a century, dismissed for 91.
Rovman Powell (2) and Shimron Hetmyer (15) failed to make an impact with the bat and departed cheaply. However, debutant Keacy Carty came out all guns blazing, smashing an unbeaten 49 off just 22 balls, while Romario Shepherd added a quickfire cameo of 19* off 6 deliveries, propelling the visitors to a total in excess of 250.
It was a forgettable outing for the Irish bowlers, as apart from Matthew Humphreys (2/16), the rest were taken to the cleaners. Debutant Liam McCarthy had a tough day, conceding a record 81 runs in his four overs — the most ever by an Irish bowler in a T20I.
In reply, Paul Stirling began the chase with a hat-trick of fours off Akeal Hosein, but the skipper couldn't carry on for long as Jason Holder struck with the first ball of the second over, dismissing the Irish captain for 13.
Ross Adair (48) and Harry Tector (38) looked in sublime touch and kept the scoreboard ticking at a healthy rate, keeping the hosts in the hunt. The duo stitched a century stand for the second wicket, but a sudden collapse - triggered by the dismissal of both set batters - saw Ireland slump from 114/1 to 161/7.
Mark Adair (31*) provided some late entertainment with a flurry of runs, but it was too little, too late for the hosts as they eventually finished on 194/7 in 20 overs.
Akeal Hosein shone with the ball for West Indies, claiming three wickets for 27 runs in his 4-over spell. Jason Holder bagged a couple of wickets but conceded 49 runs in 4 overs. Romario Shepherd and Roston Chase chipped in with one wicket each.
Stay tuned for the presentation.......
Time for the post-match presentation.....
Player of the Match: Evin Lewis
Evin Lewis (POTM): "It was unfortunate that the first two games were washed out due to rain, but it felt good to finally get out there and play. This performance means a lot to me. I wanted to start well but couldn’t in the earlier games, so this knock is a positive step ahead of the upcoming series. It was a privilege to bat alongside Hope"
Paul Stirling (Ireland Captain): "Yeah, I think so. A couple of positives in there. Obviously, it was a tough day overall, but a special mention goes to Humphreys. He bowled fantastically today — it's one of the best spells, given the context, that I’ve seen in T20 international cricket for us.
A seriously good spell. Well, we needed it today, as we know. It was quite tough bowling from both ends at times for the rest of the lads, so taking that spell out of the equation, it would have been an even tougher day.
Yeah, I think that was the message to the lads — just give it everything you've got today. I do think we lacked the opportunity to get outdoors, and even in the field, we may have been a bit too relaxed. But overall, I believe we gave it our best shot.
I think you've always got to believe. Yeah, I think we were right in the game. We kept comparing ourselves to where the West Indies were at each stage, and we weren't far behind. But obviously, in the last five or six overs, the West Indies really stepped it up.
Yeah, we've got domestic cricket here for the next four weeks, and I think we'll probably talk about that in the dressing room now — to see where we can improve and ensure that we're in a better place by the time the England series comes around."
A seriously good spell. Well, we needed it today, as we know. It was quite tough bowling from both ends at times for the rest of the lads, so taking that spell out of the equation, it would have been an even tougher day.
Yeah, I think that was the message to the lads — just give it everything you've got today. I do think we lacked the opportunity to get outdoors, and even in the field, we may have been a bit too relaxed. But overall, I believe we gave it our best shot.
I think you've always got to believe. Yeah, I think we were right in the game. We kept comparing ourselves to where the West Indies were at each stage, and we weren't far behind. But obviously, in the last five or six overs, the West Indies really stepped it up.
Yeah, we've got domestic cricket here for the next four weeks, and I think we'll probably talk about that in the dressing room now — to see where we can improve and ensure that we're in a better place by the time the England series comes around."
Shai Hope (West Indies Captain): "It means a great deal to us, as we've been working hard to build a strong unit. We've made progress in the rankings, and maintaining consistency is key. The series against England was a tough challenge, but this performance is definitely something positive to take home.
It's crucial for us to convert our starts into big scores. Lewis is a quality hitter, and when he's in rhythm, he's tough to contain. Hopefully, he can carry this form forward and get off to a strong start against Australia in a couple of months. I'd also like to extend my best wishes to Roston Chase for the upcoming series against Australia as he returns to the limited-overs setup."
It's crucial for us to convert our starts into big scores. Lewis is a quality hitter, and when he's in rhythm, he's tough to contain. Hopefully, he can carry this form forward and get off to a strong start against Australia in a couple of months. I'd also like to extend my best wishes to Roston Chase for the upcoming series against Australia as he returns to the limited-overs setup."
Shai Hope collects the series trophy and joins his teammates for the photographs.
The rain gods finally showed some mercy in the series decider, allowing a full game, and West Indies edged past hosts Ireland to clinch the series 1-0. Time to wrap up this coverage, folks! For now, it's me Deepak Prakash signing off on behalf of scorer/analyst Raju Khariya. CHEERS!