Pakistan emerged victorious over Ireland by a margin of 3 wickets in their final match of the T20 World Cup 2024 at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground, Lauderhill, Florida, on Sunday. Opting to bat first, Ireland struggled, managing only 106/9 in their allotted 20 overs. Babar Azam and his team successfully chased down the target with 7 balls to spare, concluding their campaign on a positive note.
Ireland’s innings began disastrously, losing multiple wickets in the initial overs. Balbirnie (0 off 3), Paul Stirling (1 off 3), Lorcan Tucker (2 off 2), Harry Tector (0 off 6), and George Dockrell (11 off 10) found themselves at sea against the Pakistani bowlers, returning to the pavilion within the powerplay. Half of Ireland’s team was dismissed, with the scoreboard showing 28/5 in 5.4 overs.
Gareth Delany (31 off 19) injected some momentum into Ireland’s innings, while Joshua Little contributed an unbeaten 22 runs, helping Ireland reach a total of just above 100 runs. 
Pakistan’s bowling attack was exceptional, led by Shaheen Afridi (3/22) and Imad Wasim (3/8). Mohammad Amir (2/11) and Haris Rauf (1/17) also contributed significantly to restrict Ireland.
Mohammad Rizwan (17 off 16) and Saim Ayub (17 off 17) made a steady start for Pakistan, but the middle order faltered, reminiscent of their game against India. Captain Babar Azam (32* off 34) anchored the innings, supported by Abbas Afridi (17 off 21) and Shaheen Afridi (13* off 5), guiding Pakistan to victory.
Barry McCarthy was outstanding for Ireland with 3 wickets for 15 runs in his 4 overs. Curtis Campher (2/24), Mark Adair (1/24), and Benjamin White (1/11) also contributed with the ball.
Key Moments of the Match:
Shaheen Afridi’s early breakthroughs
Shaheen Afridi, bowling with the new ball, made an immediate impact. He dismissed Andrew Balbirnie on the third delivery of the match and then removed Lorcan Tucker, putting Ireland under pressure from the start.
Gareth Delany’s impactful innings
Facing a daunting situation, Gareth Delany played aggressively, scoring 31 runs off 19 balls with three sixes and a four, providing crucial impetus to Ireland’s innings.
Imad Wasim’s pivotal spell
Gareth Delany was on the attack, but Imad Wasim halted his progress by dismissing him and taking two more wickets, finishing with impressive figures of 3/8 in his 4 overs.
McCarthy & Campher disrupt Pakistan’s middle-order
Despite Pakistan looking comfortable in their chase at 52/2 after 8 overs, Barry McCarthy and Curtis Campher created a stir by dismissing four Pakistani batsmen in quick succession, tightening the game.
Shaheen Afridi’s decisive contribution
In a match where timing the ball was challenging, Shaheen Afridi stood out by smashing two crucial sixes in the penultimate over, sealing Pakistan’s victory in style.
Pakistan’s T20 World Cup journey was mixed, winning two out of four matches in the group stage and finishing third in Group A, failing to advance to the Super 8s.
Meanwhile, Ireland struggled throughout the tournament, failing to secure a single win in four matches, with one match abandoned due to rain. Paul Stirling’s side finished at the bottom of Group A.
