Pakistan beat Ireland by 39 runs

Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat on Monday against Ireland the Twenty20 World Cup. Pakistan is unchanged for the Super 8 match at The Oval from its win over New Zealand and Pak beat Ireland by 39.

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Published: Mon 15 Jun 2009, 6:17 PM

Last updated: Wed 25 Oct 2023, 10:57 AM

Ireland made one change from its narrow loss to Sri Lanka at Lord’s on Sunday, with Paul Stirling coming in for Andre Botha.

Kamran Akmal scored 57 to help Pakistan total a moderate 159-5 against Ireland Akmal hit five boundaries and six in 51 balls, while Shahid Afridi was the next highest scorer with 24 from 13 balls.


Kyle McCallan took 2-26 to be the pick of the Irish attack that did well to limit the scoring in the Super 8 match at The Oval. Boyd Rankin took 0-11 off four overs, including 13 deliveries that didn’t concede a single run.

Pakistan captain Younis Khan won the toss and elected to bat, and the contrast between Ireland’s opening bowlers was acute.


Rankin bowled with controlled aggression from the Vauxhall End and was unlucky not to take a wicket. But Trent Johnston struggled, bowling an accidental beamer at Akmal in the fourth over, which went for 20 runs.

He was replaced by Alex Cusack, who had taken four wickets on Sunday against Sri Lanka.

The switch immediately paid off when he had Shahzaib Hasan caught by McCallan at mid off in the sixth over.

Pakistan was 38-1 after the power-play, but Shahid Afridi joined Akmal and scored quickly before he was caught by John Mooney off McCallan in the 10th over.

Three overs later, Regan West bowled Younis’ leg stump as the Pakistan captain tried to sweep.

Johnston returned from the Vauxhall End to bowl Akmal in the 17th over and Misbah-ul-Haq was caught by Niall O’Brien in the 18th, three balls after hitting Kyle McCallan for six over long on.

In the last over, Abdul Razzaq hit a six off Cusack that nearly cleared the Pavilion. But though he added 13 with Shoaib Malik in the final six balls, Ireland will be satisfied with its damage-limitation exercise.

Ireland:

WTS Porterfield, PR Stirling, NJ O’Brien, KJ O’Brien, AR White, JF Mooney, DT Johnston, AR Cusack, WK McCallan, RM West, WB Rankin

Pakistan:

Kamran Akmal, Shahzaib Hasan, Abdul Razzaq, Shoaib Malik, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Fawad Alam, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Aamer


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