Pakistan too strong for Ireland

Ireland departed the World Twenty20 after a 39-run defeat by Pakistan at the Oval.

Despite another respectable showing in the field against top-class opposition, the minnows' limitations with the bat were ruthlessly exposed in the Super Eights contest.

William Porterfield's team restricted Pakistan to 159 for five and were competitive until the latter half of their own innings when the gulf in class was emphasised.

Paul Stirling, 18, and the more established Kevin O'Brien attempted some adventure against the new ball but the entire team managed only six boundaries between them. They lost only two wickets in the opening 13 overs but, after captain Porterfield succumbed for 40, they collapsed in a heap.

Once again it was Umar Gul who seized the initiative for Pakistan, following his extraordinary figures of five for six against New Zealand on the same ground this past weekend.

Fast bowler Gul, whose exploits on Saturday sparked an approach from the Black Caps to the match officials to check the legality of the methods by which he obtained reverse swing, was rewarded once again for his ability to send down searing yorkers at will.

New Zealand accepted the match officials' view they had seen nothing to arouse suspicion.

There was no repeat of the carnage he inflicted on the Kiwis but the runs simply dried up as the Irish slipped from 87 for two to 120 for nine.

Gul hit the timber three times - one effort was redundant as it was from a free hit - as Ireland's hitters Trent Johnston and Andrew White were meekly tamed.

With Ireland's batsmen therefore forced to have a dash at the other end, off-spinner Saeed Ajmal profited with four for 19.
Pakistan now head Group F and, with a superior net run-rate to rivals Sri Lanka and New Zealand, will proceed to the semi-finals despite a slow start to the tournament.

Kamran Akmal shaped their innings with a composed 57, from 51 deliveries, but the Irish put in another impressive display with the ball to restrict the total on a good batting surface.

No other batsman managed more than 24 and regular wickets from the final over of the powerplay onwards limited the potential damage.

Boyd Rankin produced a brilliant display and, although he went wicketless, his figures of 4-0-11-0 are likely to remain among the best in 20-over internationals for some time to come.

When Akmal and opening partner Shahzaib Hasan launched sixes in the fourth over, off Australian-born Johnston, Pakistan would have been eyeing a more comprehensive score.

But youngster Shahzaib lofted straight to mid-off to give seamer Alex Cusack - who took four wickets against Sri Lanka yesterday - an early success.

And off-spinner Kyle McCallan was twice rewarded for his disciplined approach by having big hitters Shahid Afridi and Misbah-ul-Haq miscue.

Akmal, meanwhile, was yorked by the off-colour Johnston in the 17th over as Younis Khan's team were restricted to 80 runs in the second half of the innings.

Akmal's opposite number, wicketkeeper Niall O'Brien, passed a late fitness test to take his place for Ireland in their final Super Eights contest at this tournament.

Northamptonshire's O'Brien, 27, has been dogged by an ankle injury throughout the past week and worsened the condition during yesterday's nine-run defeat by the Sri Lankans.

Ireland - needing a landslide win to resuscitate any hopes of reaching the last four - therefore made only one change, with teenager Stirling making his Twenty20 international debut in place of Andre Botha.

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Captain William Porterfield said: 'We can take a lot out of it. We have a lot to work on over the winter.

'But we are progressing with the bat and the ball.

'The more cricket we play against the top sides the better it is. The more the lads get full-time contracts the better.'

Pakistan skipper Younus Khan found fault with his side's display even though Ireland rarely looked like they were going to reach their victory target of 160.

He said: 'Things are going right for us at the moment. But we were short in our innings by about 15 runs. With bowling like that, you should score 170, 180.

'Our spinners did a good job and with these kind of performances we can win the competition.'