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Thursday March 28, 2024

Pakistan oust Ireland to set clash against Aussies

Superb Sarfraz hits match-winning ton as pacers shine in do-or-die encounter at Adelaide Oval

By Khalid Hussain
March 16, 2015
ADELAIDE, Australia: Exactly a month after getting slaughtered like lambs by India Pakistan returned to Adelaide Oval and roared like lions before marching into the World Cup last eight here on Sunday.
Pakistan blunted a brilliant captain’s knock from William Porterfield with pace and swing before the batters woke up from an extended slumber to play their role in a seven-wicket victory against Ireland in what was a must-win encounter for both teams.
Resuming from where he left against South Africa in Auckland last week, Sarfraz Ahmed scored a match-winning hundred for his second successive Man-of-the Match award. His unbeaten 101 came off 124 balls and included six fours.
It was Pakistan’s first century in the tournament. In fact it was the first World Cup ton by a Pakistan batsman since 2007. It was also the first World Cup century by a Pakistani wicketkeeper.
There were many other firsts for Pakistan in the match as they romped to what was easily their most authoritative win of the tournament so far.
It was their first win at this World Cup while chasing. It marked the first time that their top order fired with the openers recording a century stand. It was the first time that they didn’t really need skipper Misbah-ul-Haq to save them. And it was the first time that they won without the help of the towering Mohammad Irfan.
The pace trio of Wahab Riaz (3-54), Sohail Khan (2-44) and Rahat Ali (2-48) were once again at their brilliant best while Ehsan Adil (1-31) also made his presence felt in what was his first World Cup outing.
The batting hero of the match was once again Sarfraz who put on a solid opening stand of 120 with Ahmed Shehzad to make sure that Pakistan won’t stumble after restricting Ireland for 237.
Shehzad scored his second fifty of the event – an effortless 63 off 71 balls that included seven fours.
Misbah-ul-Haq chipped in with 39 that included two big sixers while Umar Akmal hit an unbeaten cameo of 20.
In what was dubbed as the biggest game in Ireland’s cricket history, Porterfield was the only man who rose to the occasion.
The Irish captain was in complete command after winning the toss and electing to bat on what was quite a perfect batting strip.
His 107 that came off 131 balls was the sole reason why Ireland managed to bring some respectability to their total. The left-handed opener, Ireland’s top run-getter in One-day Internationals, hammered eleven fours and a six. The grand total of fours hit by all other Irish batters was eight. The second highest score in Ireland’s innings was by Gary Wilson, whose cameo of 29 off 38 balls included two hits to the fence.
Even Pakistan’s sloppy fielding — the Green-shirts grassed at least four catches — didn’t help the Irish cause as they struggled against Pakistan’s four-man pace attack throughout the innings.
It wasn’t that Ireland didn’t have a chance. They were 182-4 in the 39th over and with plenty of wickets in hand the stage seemed set for a late assault. But the Pakistan bowled with express pace and found enough swing to keep the Irish batters in shackles. Ireland managed only 55 for the loss of six wickets in their last 11 overs.
Birthday boy Rahat Ali, making his World Cup debut, trapped Paul Sterling LBW in the fourth over of the innings and from that moment onwards Ireland were never really allowed to settle.
Porterfield took Ireland to 56 in the 17th over with the seasoned Ed Joyce. But Wahab Riaz scalped Joyce with Umar Akmal taking the first of his four catches in the at shirt square cover.
Wickets kept falling at regular intervals as Rahat Ali dismissed the experienced Niall O’Brien before Haris Sohail got rid of the in-form Andrew Balbirnie (18 off 36 balls).
But Porterfield kept going strong reaching 99 before earning a reprieve from Rahat Ali who failed to hold on to a powerful drive in his follow through. A few minutes later, Sohail Khan sent him back to the dressing room with Shahid Afridi taking a low diving catch.
Porterfield’s dismissal was followed by wickets in quick succession as Pakistan made sure that they would not allow Ireland to break free in the death overs.
Score Board
Ireland won toss
Ireland
*W T S Porterfield c Afridi b Sohail 107
P R Stirling lbw b Ehsan 3
E C Joyce c Umar b Wahab 11
N J O’Brien c Umar b Rahat 12
A Balbirnie c Afridi b Haris 18
†G C Wilson c Wahab b Sohail 29
K J O’Brien c Sohaib b Wahab 8
S R Thompson c Umar b Rahat 12
J F Mooney c Umar b Wahab 13
G H Dockrell run out 11
A R Cusack not out 1
Extras (lb 2, w 10) 12
Total (all out; 50 overs) 237
Fall: 1-11, 2-56, 3-86, 4-134, 5-182, 6-189, 7-204, 8-216, 9-230, 10-237
Bowling: Sohail 10-0-44-2 (2w); Ehsan 7-0-31-1 (2w); Rahat 10-0-48-2 (2w); Wahab 10-0-54-3 (3w); Afridi 10-0-38-0; Haris 3-0-20-1 (1w)
Pakistan
Ahmed Shehzad c Joyce b Thompson 63
†Sarfraz Ahmed not out 101
Haris Sohail run out 3
*Misbah-ul-Haq hit wicket b Cusack 39
Umar Akmal not out 20
Extras (b 1, lb 1, w 13) 15
Total (3 wickets; 46.1 overs) 241
Did not bat: Sohaib Maqsood, Shahid Afridi, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Khan, Rahat Ali, Ehsan Adil
Fall: 1-120, 2-126, 3-208
Bowling: Cusack 10-1-43-1 (3w); Mooney 9-1-40-0 (3w); Thompson 10-0-59-1 (3w); Dockrell 6-0-43-0; K O’Brien 10-0-49-0 (1w); Stirling 1.1-0-5-0
Result: Pakistan won by 7 wickets
Points: Pakistan 2, Ireland 0
Man of the Match: Sarfraz Ahmed (Pakistan)
Umpires: M Erasmus (South Africa) and R S A Palliyaguruge (Sri Lanka). TV umpire: S D Fry. Match referee: R S Madugalle (Sri Lanka)