Aggressive Ireland beat Pakistan to secure first ever series win away from home

Ireland (167-4, 20 overs) (Gaby Lewis 71, Amy Hunter 40; Nida Dar 1-27) beat Pakistan (133 all out, 18.5 over) (Javeria Khan 50; Arlene Kelly 3-19) by 34 runs. Ireland win the T20I series 2-1. Scorecard here.

On a day of milestones, the thought of what is to come arguably stood out above all else.

A 34-run win over Pakistan in the third T20I at Lahore secured Ireland a first ever series win away from home. Gaby Lewis notched the fastest half-century of her career, coming off just 26 balls as her stunning partnership of 110 off 77 balls with Amy Hunter (40) – Ireland’s highest between openers in T20 – signalled aggressive intent from the off as they set the highest total of the series, 167-4.

It was a score that required a Pakistani milestone of their own; success would constitute their highest ever chase. Despite Averia Khan’s return to form (50 off 37 balls) and the odd expensive over in particular from Ireland’s spinners, there were ultimately too many runs on the board as Ireland held on for a monumental result that will reset expectations back home in advance of next February’s World Cup.

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With that tournament in mind, this series has brought to light an Irish game plan that excites in how positive it is. With the bat, all series Ireland have looked to show intent from the off and cash in on the fielding restrictions in the power play. On Wednesday, they reaped the rewards from such a ploy as much as they ever have done under head coach Ed Joyce, Lewis and Hunter driving and sweeping to the boundary almost at will. At the end of the opening six overs after Laura Delany chose to bat at the toss, Ireland reached 56-0 having found the fence eight times.

Lewis was the aggressor of the two, Hunter identifying her role of giving her as much of the strike as possible. The YMCA batter’s half-century came up in the eighth over as boundaries continued to come with regularity despite the field dropping back.

[ Prendergast and Lewis star as Ireland beat Pakistan in Lahore ]

Monday’s defeat featured plenty of aggression from Ireland, but it was one-dimensional. Batters continually tried to hit straight down the ground when leaving their crease, a level of predictability that allowed Pakistan’s spinners in particular to adjust their plans and earn a number of stumping dismissals. On Wednesday, Ireland changed tack slightly, hitting a greater variety of shots all around the ground. The 360 degree approach was no better displayed than by Lewis and Hunter’s willingness to move around the crease and use the sweep shot to access the gaps behind square.

“ (Our plan was) to go out and be positive as we’re a very top heavy order and can take on the game,” explained Lewis. “When it comes off, it comes off and it’s worked well this series. Coming to a new country, you need to take time to adjust. Judging the conditions and adjusting to that, we’ve done that really well and got better as the series has gone on.” Lewis was named both player of the match and the series for her effort of 144 runs at an average of 72 across the three T20s.

Both openers ultimately succumbed, Hunter getting a delivery from Nashra Sandhu that spun on to her off stump while Lewis skied a Ghulam Fatima delivery straight up. Given the fast start, Ireland showed flexibility with their order as Delany pushed herself down in favour of more aggressive options Eimear Richardson and Rebecca Stokell. It was a ploy that by and large worked, the final four overs going for 39 runs, Orla Prendergast once again impressing with the bat in her knock of 37 off 23 balls.

Pakistan’s normal conservative approach at the start of their innings would have to change in a chase of 169. It did, but not without a cost. Despite Javeria Khan taking a liking to Jane Maguire to the tune of back-to-back boundaries, Ireland’s opener had the last laugh, dismissing Sidra Ameen with a slower ball.

Khan continued her fightback as she scored seven boundaries in total, Pakistan’s power play of 41-1 just about keeping them in the game considering their good record against Ireland’s spinners who were yet to come.

Ayesha Naseem was promoted up the order to up the rate but the move didn’t work, Eimear Richardson getting her to miss an attempted heave over the leg side to castle her off stump. Despite the success, Richardson, leg-spinner Cara Murray and Delany were expensive through the middle overs as Khan continued her lone hand.

Maguire returned to the attack, striking in the 14th over as Khan chopped on to her stumps. Bismah Maroof was run out in disastrous fashion before Delany returned from an expensive over to nick off Aliya Riaz. Those three wickets in four overs meant that, by the time Prendergast returned to the attack for the 17th over – the first time all series she didn’t bowl her entire spell early – the game was largely up.

If her concession of just four runs by and large rubber stamped the result, Arlene Kelly’s two wickets in the next over – including that of Pakistan’s last recognised batter Nida Dar – along with her skipper’s pair of dismissals just moments later completed the collapse and wrapped up a fully-deserved victory brought about by a well thought and perfectly executed game plan.