Magazine : 
ICC Men's T20 WC'24: Pakistan Ends Campaign with 3-Wicket Win Over Ireland
In a thrilling conclusion to their T20 World Cup campaign, Pakistan secured a nerve-wracking three-wicket victory over Ireland in their Group A match. The win was bolstered by crucial contributions from Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi. Despite making the chase more complicated than necessary, Pakistan managed to finish with a win, thanks to early breakthroughs and a late flourish from Shaheen.
The match commenced with Pakistan's bowlers causing chaos in Ireland's top order. Shaheen Afridi, displaying devastating form, ended an eight-match streak without a first-over wicket. He showcased a masterclass in swing bowling, breaching Andrew Balbirnie's defenses with a flawless inswinger and inducing Lorcan Tucker to edge one to Mohammad Rizwan. Shaheen's early onslaught reduced Ireland to 32 for 6, with Mohammad Amir and Haris Rauf also contributing by taking wickets.
However, Ireland mounted a gritty resistance through Gareth Delany and Mark Adair. The pair stitched together a 44-run partnership off 30 balls, attacking Shadab Khan and Abbas Afridi to keep the scoreboard ticking. Imad Wasim, in what was likely his final game for Pakistan, cleaned up the lower order with exceptional figures of 3 for 8 in his four overs. But a determined cameo from Josh Little, who scored 22, helped Ireland reach a fighting total of 106.
Pakistan’s chase seemed straightforward initially, with Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan, and Babar Azam making steady progress. By the eighth over, they appeared to be cruising, taking any sting out of the Irish attack. However, a middle-over collapse saw Curtis Campher and Barry McCarthy snatch four wickets for just 10 runs, leaving Babar stranded with a long tail to navigate.
As the game hung in a delicate balance, Abbas Afridi emerged as a pivotal figure, contributing a brisk 17 runs to narrow the target to just 12 runs. Ireland's reliance on spin, due to Josh Little's unfortunate calf injury, backfired against Shaheen Afridi, who capitalized on the opportunity by hitting two sixes to clinch the victory for Pakistan.
Ireland mounted a commendable comeback, spearheaded by Delany and Adair. Recognizing the need to score runs quickly, they adopted an aggressive stance against Shadab and Abbas Afridi, effectively keeping their team in contention. Despite losing wickets in clusters, the final partnership between Little and Ben White, adding an unbeaten 26 runs, provided Ireland with a defendable total.
Ultimately, Pakistan's win brought more relief than jubilation. Despite a brilliant setup by their bowlers, particularly Shaheen, the vulnerability of the middle order was exposed during a collapse. Nevertheless, Babar's composed batting and Shaheen's late heroics ensured Pakistan ended their campaign positively.
