ESPNcricinfo
In Bready, the sightscreen was struck, trees shook, the crowd scrambled for cover, and the ball went missing. This all occurred multiple times as the West Indies hit an impressive 20 sixes on their way to a total of 256 for 5, marking their second-highest score in T20 format. Remarkably, they began their innings scoring only 11 runs in the first two overs.
Evin Lewis led the charge for West Indies with 91 runs off 44 balls, while Shai Hope contributed 51 runs from 27 balls, and debutant Keacy Carty scored 49 not out from just 22 balls. With this victory, the West Indies defeated Ireland by 62 runs, clinching the three-match series 1-0 after the first two games were washed out.
Historically, only twice has a higher total been successfully chased down in T20 cricket. Although Ireland started brightly, their chase lost momentum as the required run rate increased. Paul Stirling struck boundaries off the first three balls of Ireland’s innings, and Ross Adair and Harry Tector combined for 101 runs for the second wicket. However, Tector’s dismissal in the 11th over triggered a dramatic collapse, with Ireland losing 3 wickets for just 2 runs and eventually fading away.
Akeal Hosein bounced back impressively from Stirling’s early assault, finishing with figures of 3 wickets for 27 runs in his four overs.
Summarised scores:
West Indies: 256 for 5 (Lewis 91, Hope 51, Carty 49*)
Ireland: 194 for 7 (Adair 48, Tector 38)
Bowling: Hosein 3 for 27, Holder 2 for 49
West Indies won by 62 runs.
