Ireland secured a remarkable triumph over rivals England by five runs in a rain-affected match at the Twenty20 World Cup in Melbourne.
The Irish fans in the stands are delighted and England has again been hunted down by Ireland on the big stage after that famous win 11 years ago in the 2011 World Cup.
Ireland batted first and scored 157 runs in 19.2 overs, with captain Andrew Balbirnie leading the way with a brilliant 62 off 47 balls at the top of the order.
England stepped out to chase, and while Ireland continued to impress with some brilliant bowling, rain fell in Melbourne, and the match was decided by the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, assuring Ireland’s victory.
Balbirnie’s excellent performance helped Ireland reach 157 all out, but his removal triggered a collapse in which Ireland lost seven wickets in 24 deliveries.
Under severe cloud cover, England lurched to 86 for five, and despite a late burst of boundaries from Moeen Ali, they were still short of the DLS par when the heavens opened.
The delay resulted in serious, as England, who were on 105 for five when the rain began, slipped to a five-run loss using the DLS method, thereby ending their chances of reaching the semi-finals.
Eleven years after a 50-over World Cup surprise win over the same opponents in Bangalore, Ireland has blown this Super 12s group wide open, with England having to win their three remaining games to finish in the top two.