Babar, Rizwan guide Pakistan to victory over Ireland in 3rd T20I

Dublin [Ireland], May 15 (ANI): Fine batting performances from Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan took Pakistan to victory in the third and final T20I of the series against Ireland at the Clontarf Cricket Club Ground on Tuesday. With this six-wicket victory, Pakistan sealed the three-match series 2-1. Left-arm Shaheen Shah Afridi was awarded the Player of the Match in the last match for his magnificent bowling performance where he snapped three wickets and conceded just 14 runs in his spell of four overs. While chasing a target of 179 runs, the visitors chased down the target in the 17th over.

After Saim (14 in 11 balls, with three fours) departed in the third over at Pakistan's score of 16, Mohammed Rizwan (56 in 38 balls, four boundaries and three sixes) and skipper Babar Azam (75 in 42 balls, with six fours and five sixes) produced yet another century partnership, putting on 139 runs for the second wicket in 74 balls. When the match ended, Azam Khan (18*) and Imad Wasim (1*) were at the crease.

Mark Adair (3/28) was the top bowler for Ireland.

The convincing victory wrapped up Pakistan's week-long tour of Ireland that had started with a shocking five-wicket defeat in the first T20I on Friday. Pakistan had bounced back strongly in the second T20I on Sunday, chasing down a 194-run target for the loss of three wickets with 19 balls remaining.

Earlier in the first innings, the Men in Green skipper Babar Azam won the toss and put the hosts to bat first.

Openers Andrew Balbirnie and Ross Adair came out to bat. Both of them were able to put just 15 runs on the board before Adair was dismissed after scoring just 7 runs on the bowling of Shaheen Shah Afridi in the third over.

Following Adair's dismissal, the Ireland skipper Lorcan Tucker came out to bat along with Balbirnie. Both of them brought up their side's fifty on the last ball of the powerplay as Tucker slammed a boundary on the bowling of Abbass Afridi.

Tucker completed his half-century on the last ball of the 10th over as he took a single on the bowling of Saim Ayub.

The side completed its century on the second ball of the 11th over. In the same over, the Irish team lost the wicket of Balbirnie who was sent back to the pavilion after scoring 35 in 26 balls with the help of two fours and three sixes.

Tucker was dismissed after playing a marvellous innings of 73 runs off 41 balls which came with the help of 13 fours and a six.

After the fall of these two wickets, the Ireland team were 132/3 in 14 overs with Harry Tector and Neil Rock on the crease.

Other than Tector (30* in 20 balls, with two fours and a six) and Graham Hume (10*) no player was able to score runs in the double digits. Rock (4), George Dockrell (6), Curti Campher (1), and Mark Adair (1) got out cheaply. Ireland registered 178/7 in 20 overs.

Other than Shaheen, two wickets were grabbed by Abbas Afridi in his spell of four overs where he conceded 43 runs and one wicket each was bagged by Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim in their respective spells.

Brief Score: Pakistan 181/4 in 17 overs (Babar Azam 75, Mohammad Rizwan 56, Mark Adair 3/28) defeated Ireland 178/7 in 20 overs (Lorcan Tucker 73, Andrew Balbernie 35, Shaheen Shah Afridi 3/14). (ANI)