Two-time World T20 champions West Indies crashed out of Group B in the first round of the 2022 T20 World Cup in Hobart after losing to Ireland in a ‘long live’ match. After first restricting the May Islands to 146 runs, Ireland started the game wildly. They scored 150 runs for the loss of 1 wicket in 17.3 overs and won by 9 wickets to enter the ‘Super 12’ round.
Looking at the game as a whole, especially the way Ireland played, it was regrettable that the aggressiveness and confident body language they displayed from the start of the game was completely absent from the May Islands.
A word that Virat Kohli often uses is ‘Intensity’. That is the mantra of Ireland today. The most important, noticeable and commendable aspect of Ireland’s victory was that West Indies, who won the toss first, executed their brilliant plan once they decided to bat. did
He was amazing as a change of delivery, a titanic field strategy. That is, the side boundaries are smaller at the Hobart ground. He did it brilliantly with his field strategy and great use of leg-spinner Delaney (4 overs, 16 runs, 3 wickets) to deny West Indies’ hapless hitters short boundary advantages. That is why the team scored 146 runs for the loss of 5 wickets. The Irish team, who gave less than 20 to 25 runs, controlled the opponent’s run accumulation.
Ireland captain Balburnie then came into bat and scored 37 runs off 24 balls. It includes 3 fours and 3 sixes. Veteran Paul Sterling scored 66 off 48 balls. Ireland reached 64 runs without loss of wicket at the end of the power play to give an action start to both of them.
Both showed speed at 73 runs in 7.3 overs at a run rate of 10 runs per over. The West Indies team hit only 11 fours and 5 sixes while Ireland’s players hit 11 fours and 7 sixes. Ireland finally qualified for the Super 12 round of the T20 World Cup after a long break when Lorcan Tucker picked up McCoy’s ball and smashed it towards cover for a boundary.
This means Ireland have qualified for the main round for the second time since the 2009 T20 World Cup in England.
A poor start for the May Islands: West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first. But the team had no proper plan. Both Kyle Meyers (1) and Johnson Charles (24) returned to the pavilion with big shots before the end of the power play. Meyers was caught at mid-off when McCarthy tossed the ball away. Charles started well. But Simi Singh bowled the ball brilliantly and took the catch at backward point for a tough angle.
West Indies would have been doomed if Simi Singh had taken the catch given by Brandon King (62 runs, 48 balls 6 fours 1 six). Brandon King made good use of that missed catch. Until the 8th over, the West Indies team did not know how to break this delivery and fielding.
Delaney, the leg-spinner who broke the backbone of the May Islands: Left-handed batsman Evin Lewis stumped to add a run. For 18 runs, the leg-spinner bowled Delaney’s ball towards long off and was caught. May Islands lost 3 wickets for 71 runs at the end of 11 overs. At that point, Ireland suffocated and suffocated the team. King, on the other hand, played brilliantly. Captain Pooran is a dangerous player. He had already hit a big six and was on 13. Delaney brilliantly lobbed a googly outside the off-stump, which Pooran tossed towards extra cover. There a fielder caught the ball in his hands as he was held up.
Delaney then bowled a flight to action king Rowman Powell in his 3rd over to deceive, the ball coming off off-stump, Powell slog-swept it to the long-on boundary and was caught in the deep.
Delaney took 3 wickets for 16 to turn the tide as May Islands were 112 for 5 in 17 overs. In the last overs, King and Odion Smith played some action shots as West Indies reached a score of 146. On a normal day, the West Indies would have won this one, but none of the bats paid off when Ireland went down with a result. MEIs also did not bowl with seriousness.
Captain Buran’s mistake, Ireland’s action-packed start and victory! – Ireland would have lost if they had approached this chase nervously. But they put the bat on the ball confidently with the determination that they are going to win no matter what. Especially Paul Sterling, who has been awful all year. But in the face of his intensity and experience to win this innings, the West Indies’ bowling was nothing. Paul Sterling is the 5th highest run-getter in T20I batsman in the world.
Pooran’s biggest blunder was not bringing the best bowler, Jason Holder, to open. He used spinner Aqeel Hussain and Abed McCoy. Also used by Odion Smith. McCoy gave only 5 runs in the first over and spinner Aqeel Hussain gave 16 runs in the 2nd over. Palpurni hits a six and Stirling hits a boundary. Alsari brought in Joseph in the 3rd over.
Paul Sterling bowled a relaxed delivery. Six over midwicket, 10 runs from that over. Odion Smith’s economy rate in the power play is 11 runs per over and he has taken just 3 wickets. What’s wrong with bringing him? Ireland captain Palburni has taken the pin 4, 6, 4. 14 runs in that over. Ireland 45/0 in 4 overs.
In the next over McCoy came back and he bowled a ball outside the off-stump on a full length with Palpurni making a stunning off-side sweep or slack sweep. SIX ON THE POINT!! 9 runs from this over. This time Sterling hit a boundary at third man and another boundary towards point to bring Joseph back. It has to be said that 64/0 for 10 runs in this over sealed the fate of May Islands in the power play.
After all was done, he brought Holder and what was the point, came the 7th over. But the Irish batsmen played without any worries. The only consolation wicket was Palpurney’s dismissal. West Indies took another wicket but it was a no-ball. Nothing went in favor of the two-time world champions.
The reason is that the West Indies team does not have that ‘intensity’ that Virat Kohli calls it. So it went out. Ireland qualified for the Super 12 round after 13 years. Leg-spinner Gareth Delaney was adjudged Man of the Match.