In a thrilling encounter in Dublin, Pakistan’s Babar Azam etched his name in cricketing history by becoming the most successful T20I captain, while Shaheen Afridi celebrated his 300th international wicket during the second T20I clash against Ireland on Sunday.
The visitors clinched victory by seven wickets in a nail-biting contest, fueled by remarkable performances from Fakhar Zaman and Muhammad Rizwan with the bat.
Ireland set a formidable target of 193 runs, courtesy of a fiery innings by Lorcan Tucker, who scored 51 runs off just 34 balls. However, Shaheen Afridi’s three-wicket haul for 49 runs, coupled with Abbas Afridi’s two crucial wickets, restricted the hosts’ innings.
Facing an early setback, Pakistan’s chase saw them lose two wickets for just 13 runs. Nonetheless, Azam Khan’s explosive cameo, scoring 30 runs off only 10 deliveries, propelled Pakistan to victory with 3.1 overs to spare.
“I’m relieved, credit to all batters,” expressed Azam Khan. “We lost a few wickets early on but we kept the momentum going. It was a good decision to bowl first because it was overcast and there was a bit of rain.”
The win came as redemption for Pakistan after Ireland secured their maiden T20 victory against them in the series opener on Friday, winning by five wickets with one ball to spare.
Looking ahead, Pakistan will lock horns with Ireland once again in the group stage of next month’s T20 World Cup, set to take place in the United States and the West Indies. With their recent form and newfound records, Pakistan aims to carry their momentum into the global tournament, eyeing further glory on the international stage.
