T20 World Cup: Pakistan score consolation win over Ireland

LAUDERHILL, Florida (AP):

Pakistan needed all-rounder Shaheen Shah Afridi to show off his bowling and batting skills in a three-wicket consolation win over Ireland yesterday as both cricket teams bowed out of their disappointing Twenty20 World Cup.

Afridi destroyed Ireland's top-order batters with 3-22 and then smashed a couple of sixes in his unbeaten 13 off five balls as he guided Pakistan to a scrappy 111-7 in 18.5 overs to win its last Group A game. Captain Babar Azam was 32 not out and helplessly watched another batting collapse before Afridi's little cameo came to Pakistan's rescue.

After Pakistan won the toss and chose to bowl first, Afridi's twin-wicket burst in the opening over had Ireland reeling at only two runs for the loss of two wickets. Ireland lost another batter to make it four for three and was then 15 for four off the first three overs.

Left-arm spinner Imad Wasim grabbed three for eight in four overs to restrict Ireland to 106 for nine on a lively wicket which had been under cover for most of the last week because of heavy rain in Florida, which had prevented the previous three games at the tournament venue.

"We lost back-to-back wickets, but managed to get over the line in the end," Babar said. "We've got to go home, chat and see where we lacked and then come back. We couldn't finish off close games ... we weren't good as a team."

Pakistan, who failed to chase down a run-a-ball target against rivals India and lost to the US in a major upset, nearly messed up against a spirited Ireland bowling attack. At 52 for two after eight overs, they looked comfortable before Barry McCarthy (3-15) and Curtis Campher (2-24) sliced through the brittle middle-order and Pakistan slipped to 62 for six in 11 overs.

Abbas Afridi, playing his first game in the tournament, made 17 off 21 balls before he too was caught with 12 needed, but Afridi ensured Pakistan didn't lose.

Ireland finished last in the group with three defeats, with their solitary point coming against the US in a rain-abandoned game at the same venue. Pakistan finished third with four points behind qualifiers India and the United States.

"We played well in patches," said Ireland skipper Paul Stirling, who couldn't grab a difficult one-handed overhead catch of Afridi in the slips just before the left-hander hit the winning six. "They put pressure on us early on, but proud of the fight we've shown ... it's been a difficult couple of weeks, (we) go back, regroup and see if we can come back stronger."

Afridi's mesmerising left-arm swing with the new white ball came a bit too late for Pakistan, who did not advance for the first time at the T20 World Cup. Pakistan won the tournament in 2009 and were runners-up in 2022.

Afridi hit the top of Andy Balbirnie's off stump in his second ball that darted into the right-hander, and then two balls later found the outside edge of Lorcan Tucker's bat.