Pakistan win by 7 wickets - Ireland 237 (50.0 ov) , Pakistan 241/3 (46.1 ov). Safraz Ahmed scores 101 as Pakistan win by 7 wickets to qualify for the Quarter Finals.

By PakPassion Staff (15th March, 2015)

Toss:

Ireland won the toss and elected to bat first.

Ireland Innings:

William Porterfield and Paul Stirling started the innings against Sohail Khan and Ehsan Adil. Pakistan got an early breakthrough in the third over as Ehsan had Stirling LBW on 3. Ed Joyce came in at no.3 and the two batsmen rebuilt innings after the fall of wicket, with Porterfield looking more comfortable of the duo as he kept scoring boundaries during their partnership. The two added 45 runs during their stand before Joyce got out pulling and top edging Wahab's delivery to square cover fielder Umar Akmal for 11 runs.

Score was 56/2 when Niall O'Brien arrived, 30 moremore were added to the team's total before Ireland lost their third wicket as O'Brien fell for 12 on Rahat's bowling. Andy Balbirnie arrived at the crease with the score at 86/3 with Porterfield looking to be in command as he crossed his half century and remained firm from the other end as the wicket continued to fall for Ireland.

Next dismissal was Balbirnie who swept Haris and top edged it to fielder for 18 runs. Ireland were 136/4 when Wilson arrived, and with Porterfield, thetwo dragged the score past 150. Porterfield reached his hundred but soon got out for 107 toSohail Khan. Kevin O'Brien arrived at the creasewith the score on 182/5 but the wickets were falling far too quickly as Sohail Khan struck again in his next over. This time it was Wilson who upper-cut his bouncer to the third man fielder. He went for 29 runs and score was 189/6 when Stuart Thompson walked in but he didn't last very long as he could contribute only 12 runs when Rahat dismissed him.

Kevin O'Brien was next to be dismissed on 8 run by Wahab. Mooney and Dockrell walked in next and both were dismissed by Wahab in a matter of few deliveries, Ireland thus being bowled out for 237 on the last delivery of their innings.

Pakistan Innings:

Pakistan set of in their chase of 238 to win with Sarfraz Ahmed and Ahmed Shehzad. The start wasrelatively slow and the two batsmen took their timebefore Ahmed Shehzad started to play with a bit more fire by collecting 3 boundaries. Sarfraz joined the party too as soon as spinners were on and cracked two boundaries in two overs. Pakistan reached the score of 50 in 10 overs and 100 in 19 and the partnership looked solid between them.

Both Shehzad and Sarfraz reached their half centuries and big personal scores beckoned beforeShehzad threw it all away on 63 on Thompson's bowling. Pakistan were 120/1 when Haris Sohail arrived, Haris stay was cut short in an ugly fashion when he was run out by some misunderstanding with Sarfraz, with a disappointed Haris returning to the pavilion on 3. Captain Misbahul-Haq strode inwith his primary focus to finish the match off with out any further loss of wicket. However, Misbahmissed his customary 50 when he was out hit-wicket to Cusack for 39. With victory in sight, Umar Akmal arrived with the score on 208/3. At this point only 30 runs were needed in 11 overs and the two batsmen did not wait long to finish this off, withSarfraz Ahmed reaching his maiden ODI century and Akmal finishiung the match off with a boundary.

Summary

A fantastic all-round performance by Pakistan to finish off the Group Stages and book a berth in the Quarter Final where they will meet Australia in Adelaide on Friday. Mohammad Irfan's fitness could have been an issue today, but based upon the performance of the bowling attack today, Pakistan will breathe a sigh of relief and know that there bowling resources are firing on all cylinders. Sarfraz Ahmed was has so far lived up to his reputation as 'oxygen' for the team and Misbah-ul-Haq will hope that he can continue in that manner in the next match as well.

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