Ireland dump Pakistan out of World Cup
'Pakistan Times' Sports Desk

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Pakistan crashed out of the World Cup here on Saturday after losing to Ireland by three wickets in a dramatic match at Sabina Park.

The win for Ireland, made up mostly of part-timers and foreign imports, was secured when skipper Trent Johnston hit a huge six off Azhar Mahmood off the fourth ball of the 43rd over.

Irish wicketkeeper-batsman Niall O`brien scored 72 off 107 balls and was stumped out by Kamran Akmal. O`brien was declared man of the match.

Earlier, the Group D match between Pakistan and Ireland was also suspended in 27.5 overs due to rain and bad light has been re-started here today.

The new target for Ireland was 128 runs in 47 overs, which they scored within 41.4 overs. Before the umpires stopped the match, Ireland had made 81 for 4 in 27.5 overs.

The sensational win also came on St Patrick's Day and put Ireland on course to qualify for the second round Super Eights on their debut appearance in the World Cup.

Pakistan needed to win the Group D match after losing their opening clash to West Indies while Ireland had already picked up a point from a dramatic last-ball tie against Zimbabwe. But Ireland triumphed after a tense finale which had seen them lose three wickets for five runs in seven balls as Pakistan threatened to pull off a great escape.

"We had a lot of confidence and knew that Pakistan would be short on confidence in the top order," said Kevin O'Brien who finished on 16 not out. We knew if we got a few early wickets that we would have a chance."

O'Brien's brother Niall, one of the few full-time players in the team, top-scored with a magnificent and patient 72 off 107 balls.
Earlier, Johnston won the toss and put Pakistan into bat and the decision paid rich dividends as Inzamam-ul-Haq's side were dismissed for 132 in 45.4 overs.

Boyd Rankin was the most successful Irish bowler with three wickets for 32 runs from nine overs, Andre Botha supported with the flattering figures of 8-4-5-2, and Kyle McCallan collected two for 12 from 5.4 overs.

Only four Pakistani batsmen got into double-figures - Kamran Akmal scored 27, Imran Nazir got 24, and Mohammad Yousuf made 15, and Mohammad Sami gathered 12.

The Irish bowlers gained favourable bounce and movement from the hard, grassy surface, but the Pakistani batsmen were also victims of their own indiscretion and athletic fielding from their opponents.Defeat completed a torrid episode in Pakistan's cricket history. They arrived in the Caribbean without spearhead fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif who were injured.


SCOREBOARD:

Pakistan

Mohammad Hafeez c N. O'Brien b Langford-Smith 4
Imran Nazir c Morgan b Botha 24
Younis Khan c Botha b Rankin 0
Mohammad Yousuf c Porterfield b Johnson 15
Inzamam-ul-Haq c Morgan b Botha 1
Shoaib Malik c N. O'Brien b K. O'Brien 9
Kamran Akmal c Johnston b Rankin 27
Azhar Mahmood c Johnston b Rankin 2
Mohammad Sami c Bray b McCallan 12
Rao Iftikhar not out 8
Umar Gul c (sub) J. Mooney b McCallan 1

Extras (lb3, w22, nb4) 29
Total (all out) 132

Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Mohammad Hafeez); 2-15 (Younis Khan); 3-56 (Mohammad Yousuf;
4-58 (Inzamam-ul-Haq); 5-66 (Imran Nazir); 6-72 (Shoaib Malik); 7-103 (Azhar Mahmood);
8-105 (Kamran Akmal); 9-130 (Mohammad Sami).

Bowling: Langford-Smith 10-1-31-1 (1nb, 5w); Rankin 9-1-32-3 (2nb, 12w); Botha 8-4-5-2; Johnston 7-1-20-1 (1nb, 4w); K. O'Brien 6-0-29-1 (1w); McCallan 5.4-1-12-2.Overs: 45.3 overs
Ireland (revised target: 128 runs off 47 overs)

J. Bray lbw b Mohammad Sami 3W. Porterfield b M Hafeez 13
E. Morgan lbw b Mohammad Sami 2
N. O'Brien st Kamran Akmal b Shoaib Malik 72
A. Botha c Mohammad Hafeez b Mohammad Sami 0
K. O'Brien not out 16
A. White c Mohammad Hafeez b Rao Iftikhar 4
K. McCallan c Younis Khan b Rao Iftikhar 0
T. Johnston not out 9

Extras (lb2, w11, nb1) 14

Total (7 wkts) 133

Did not bat: D. Langford-Smith, B. Rankin

Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Bray); 2-15 (Morgan); 3-62 (Porterfield); 4-70 (Botha); 5-108 (N. O'Brien);
6-113 (White); 7-113 (McCallan).

Bowling: Umar Gul 9-0-24-0 (3w); Mohammad Sami 10-0-29-3 (3w); Iftikhar Anjum 10-0-29-2 (3w); Azhar Mahmood 7.4-1-25-0 (2w); Mohammad Hafeez 4-0-15-1; Shoaib Malik 1-0-9-1 (1nb).

Overs: 41.4

Result: Ireland won by three wickets (D/L Method).

Points: Ireland 2, Pakistan 0.Toss: Ireland.Man-of-the-Match: Niall O'Brien (Ireland).

Toss: Ireland.

Umpires: Billy Bowden (NZL) and Brian Jerling (RSA); TV Replays: Simon Taufel (AUS), Reserve: Ian Gould (ENG). Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG).●