Ireland Missed A Golden Opportunity by Losing T20 to West Indies
West Indies started their campaign in the Twenty20 World Cup in style with a comprehensive 70-run win over Ireland in their Group D match at the Providence Stadium on opening day of the event. The Irish cricket team would never have thought of the beating they received at the hands of the hosts since they fancied their chances in the Caribbean more, where they defeated Pakistan three years back. The Irish side was however crammed to the wall by an outfit that played more as a team, than as individuals.
Darren Sammy was the star of the day for the hosts, with the ball, bat and in the field. He not only scored a 17-ball 30 to rescue his side from a hapless position to a hopeful one where they put up 138 in 20 overs, but he also starred with the ball and in the field, taking 3 wickets as well as 4 catches.
The day didn’t start as well as the home team would have hoped, as they were lead out by stand-in skipper Dwayne Bravo, after Chris Gayle was ruled out due to muscle stiffness. Bravo opted to bat first only to see the superb-in-the-field Irish players take down the top order, in what could have been a reminiscent of their earlier achievements.
But Man of the Match Sammy had other ideas. He didn’t allow the fans feel the absence of Chris Gayle and blasted his side from a precarious 93 for six to 138 for nine, scoring runs at will. He hit two sixes and fours each in his innings while Ramnaresh Sarwan scored a valuable 24.
Chasing 139 to win and create another upset in international arena, the Irish failed to capitalise on their bowlers’ contribution. They lost wickets right from the start with Kemar Roach striking with his second ball. A rain break offered respite but medium pacers Ravi Rampaul and Sammy wrecked havoc, taking 6 wickets while bowling in tandem. Ireland could not recover after losing their top three for 11 in 15 balls, as only two batsmen managed to get to double digits.. Sammy finished with figures of 3 wickets for 8 runs while Rampaul’s wickets cost him 17 runs as the hosts bowled out Ireland for 68 runs in just 16.4 overs.
Stand-in skipper Dwayne Bravo, who fell to an amazing return catch after a blazy knock, praised Sammy after the victory. "I know Sammy is a clean hitter of the ball," Bravo said. "I always had faith in the lower order and knew once we got over 130 it would be difficult for Ireland.
"With Darren and also Nikita Miller bowling it was always going to be very hard for them to get past us if we put the balls in the right areas."
For Ireland captain William Porterfield, it was very much a game of two innings.
"We were right in it at half time, it was just disappointing with the bat," Porterfield said. “We lost four wickets in the first 21 balls. We were right on the back foot from there and the wicket was always going to get lower and harder to score on.
"We can be pretty positive about the way young George Dockrell bowled and it could be a straight shoot-out between ourselves and England when we play them," Porterfield added.
Ireland will have an opportunity to stake a claim for a place in the Super Eight when they face England in the final Group D match on Tuesday, a day after West Indies face England in their second match of the mega event.
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