Ireland beat UAE, boost T20 chances

Shaiman Anwar

Skipper William Porterfield’s unbeaten 33 runs guided Ireland to a comfortable 21-run Duckworth-Lewis-method victory over UAE in a Group B World Twenty20 match at the Sylhet Stadium in Bangladesh on Wednesday night. Rain disrupted the match when Ireland were cruising at 103 for three in 14.2 overs while chasing a target of 124. Ireland were then adjudged winners on the basis of the D/L method.

The victory boosted the chances of Ireland — who stunned Zimbabwe by three wickets in their first match at the same venue on Monday — to qualify for the main draw of the T20 tourney. Ireland will face Netherlands in their final game on Friday, while UAE, who went down to Netherlands by six wickets, will meet Zimbabwe in their last match at the same venue on Friday.

Porterfield added an 80-run partnership for the first wicket with Ed Joyce after opener Paul Stirling (8) had to retire hurt when a Sharif Asadullah delivery hit his elbow in the very first over. Joyce was at his attacking best, smashing 43 off 38 balls with four boundaries.

Pacer Asadullah gave something to cheer for UAE when he bagged two wickets – Ed Joyce and Kevin O’Brien – in the 13^th over. The very next over paceman Amjad Javed clean bowled Andrew Poynter to make the match a bit interesting before it was stopped for a power failure, followed by rain. Porterfield remained not out on 33 off 35 balls with two fours and one six.

Joyce, who was named man-of-the-match, said: “It was a good wicket to bat on. We got another big game in two days. Paul is a massive player for us and it’s important we get him back. Our bowling is doing a good job.” Porterfield said: “It was very pleasing to limit them to 120 on that pitch. Paul is fine. We know if we beat Netherlands we are through.”

While talking about his team’s defeat, Khurram Khan said: “I thought it was a below par score, about 25-30 runs short. There’s a lot to learn from here. We are looking forward to the last game. We want to give Zimbabwe a run for their money.”

Earlier, O’Brien and Stirling picked up two wickets apiece to restrict UAE, sent into bat first, to 123 for six in 20 overs. UAE started their innings on a promising note with openers Amjad Ali and Faizan Asif adding a healthy 35 runs in five overs. Ali smashed four boundaries in his 19-ball 20, but Faizan Asif (11) was the first to go via a run-out.

Stirling struck twice in the seventh over, sending back Ali and wicketkeeper Swapnil Patil (0). But a 42-run fourth wicket partnership from Shaiman Anwar and skipper Khurram Khan revived UAE’s chances. Anwar, who hammered two sixes in his 28-ball 30 departed in the 14^th over, giving a return catch to O’Brien. Tim Murtagh struck the very next over, taking the wicket of Khan, who chipped in with 16 off 21 balls with one hit to the fence.