NEW YORK: Canada won their first-ever Twenty20 World Cup match with a stunning 12-run victory against Ireland in a Group ‘A’ game in New York on Friday.

Defending a target of just 138, the non-Test nation bowled and fielded expertly to hold Ireland to 125 for the loss of seven wickets from their full 20 overs.

After a cautious start of 26-0, Ireland lost six wickets for the addition of just 33 runs as they slumped to 59-6.

George Dockrell (30 not out) and all-rounder Mark Adair (34) revived Irish hopes during a notable partnership of 62 in seven overs.

The seventh-wicket partnership between Dockrell and Adair reduced the target to 17 off the last six balls.

But Canada paceman Jeremy Gordon held his nerve superbly, conceding just three runs and dismissing Adair with the second ball of the 20th over when he held a skyed caught and bowled chance.

The 37-year-old Guyana-born Gordon finished with fine figures of 2-16 from his maximum four overs.

Canada themselves had been struggling to 53-4 after losing the toss before a key partnership of 75 in 10 overs between Barbados-born left-hander Nicholas Kirton (49) and Shreyas Movva (37) helped take them to a total of 137-7.

Victory meant Canada bounced back from an opening defeat by the United States.

But this result was Ireland’s second successive loss at this tournament following an eight-wicket reverse against India.

Andrew Balbirnie (17) and Lorcan Tucker (10) were the only Ireland top-order batsmen to reach double figures, with skipper Paul Stirling sparking the collapse when he skyed Gordon to wicket-keeper Movva.

Canada’s admirable fielding display was exemplified when Curtis Campher was brilliantly caught in the deep by Aaron Johnson following a mis-hook off Dilon Heyliger (2-18).

Earlier, Barry McCarthy was the pick of Ireland’s attack with 2-24.

Kirton was especially impressive in hitting 16 off one Craig Young over, including two fine straight sixes.

But Kirton’s 35-ball innings ended when he gloved a rising McCarthy delivery to short fine leg.

Scoreboards

CANADA:

A. Johnson c Campher b Young14

N. Dhaliwal c Dockrell b Adair6

P. Singh c Little b Young18

D. Bajwa c&b Delany7

N. Kirton c Balbirnie b McCarthy49

S. Movva run out37

D. Heyliger c Little b McCarthy0

S. Bin Zafar not out1

EXTRAS (W-5)5

TOTAL (for seven wickets, 20 overs)137

DID NOT BAT: Kaleem Sana, Junaid Siddiqui, Jeremy Gordon

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-12 (Dhaliwal), 2-28 (Johnson), 3-42 (Singh), 4-53 (Bajwa), 5-128 (Kirton), 6-128 (Heyliger), 7-137 (Movva)

BOWLING: Adair 4-0-23-1 (1w), Little 4-0-37-0 (2w), Young 4-0-32-2 (1w), McCarthy 4-0-24-2, Delany 2-0-10-1, Campher 2-0-11-0 (1w)

IRELAND:

A. Balbirnie c&b Siddiqui17

P. Stirling c Movva b Gordon9

L. Tucker run out10

H. Tector b Bin Zafar7

C. Campher c Johnson b Heyliger4

George Dockrell not out30

G. Delany c Movva b Heyliger3

M. Adair c&b Gordon34

B. McCarthy not out2

EXTRAS (B-3, LB-1, W-5)9

TOTAL (for seven wickets, 20 overs)125

DID NOT BAT: Josh Little, Craig Young

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-26 (Stirling), 2-32 (Balbirnie), 3-41 (Tector), 4-50 (Tucker), 5-53 (Campher), 6-59 (Delany), 7-121 (Adair)

BOWLING: Sana 4-0-38-0 (3w), Gordon 4-0-16-2 (1w), Siddiqui 4-0-27-1, Bin Zafar 4-0-22-1, Heyliger 4-0-18-2 (1w)

RESULT: Canada won by 12 runs.

Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2024