Pakistan won against Ireland by seven wickets in the second Twenty20 international in Dublin on Sunday, setting up a deciding match in the three-game series.
Ireland started well after being asked to bat, scoring 29 runs in the first three overs. However, Shaheen Shah Afridi took two important wickets in the fourth over, slowing down Ireland’s progress.
Lorcan Tucker and Harry Tector then built a partnership, with Tucker scoring 51 runs in 34 deliveries. Ireland managed to post a total of 193 for seven, boosted by contributions from Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, and Gareth Delany.
Pakistan faced early setbacks in their chase, losing two wickets in the first two overs. But Mohammad Rizwan (75*) and Fakhar Zaman (78) turned the game around with a remarkable 140-run partnership. Azam Khan’s quick 30 runs ensured Pakistan’s victory with 3.1 overs to spare.
Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, credited the batters for their performance, expressing relief at the team’s win. He highlighted the decision to bowl first due to the weather conditions.
Ireland had won the series opener against Pakistan, but Pakistan bounced back strongly in the second match.
Pakistan and Ireland will also meet in the group stage of the upcoming T20 World Cup in the United States and the West Indies.