Player of the Match
Player of the Match

6.07pm Chasing 179 would have been always difficult, and losing wickets early didn't help Zimbabwe either. Once they were 56 for 4 in the eighth over, they never really stood a chance. Credit to Adair, Little, White and Getkate for sticking to accurate lines and lengths on a slow track, but boy the win was set up by Stirling's unbeaten 115!

KuJo: "@Abhai - With 10 Team IPL scheduled in the coming years, I am sure a lot of players from Namibia, ZIM, Ireland will get a look in."

Time for the presentation now.

Stirling, obviously, is the Player of the Match: "Tricky start, managed to get through the new ball. Just try and get a score for the team. We were chatting about 150-160, but we were absolutely delighted getting 170. [Tapping the ground with the celebration] Probably should have hit that ball for six - it was a low full-toss! Toss is crucial to win such games. To go and win from behind the eight ball is special. [On O'Brien] Delighted to see him back in the runs. Looking forward to him scoring."

Ervine, the Zimbabwe captain: "Our were 10-11 overs we restricted them well. But Stirling attacked those last six-eight overs. Getting wickets restricts guys. We didn't get wickets up front. The guys missed their mark today. Stirling gives a boost to Ireland first up, and if you don't get him early, it can cost. We have to find our way to get through those first six overs of the bat... That has killed our momentum."

Here's the winning captain Balbirnie: "[Complete performance?] The wicket played differently to what we thought., Everyone did their roles pretty well. [On Stirling?] Someone opens the batting, and knocks 115 - you've got to take your hats off! You've got to have a firing Stirling. Even Shane getting quick runs was crucial. We're lucky we have four fast bowlers at the moment. We have got to make sure we look after them, those four are really important. Shane has been really important with the ball. We want to win the series, we were desperately upset with how we did in the first game."

With that, we come to the end of a solid performance from Ireland. They go 2-1 up, and will be eyeing the series with a repeat tomorrow. Zimbabwe, though, have less than 24 hours to find a solution to their problems, with the fourth T20I to take place at the same place and at the same time on Thursday. Until then, it is a goodbye from Vairavan, Karthik and me, Himanshu!

18.2
W
Little to Chatara, OUT, run-out at the bowler's end! A yorker on off stump, and Chatara pushes at that toward midwicket. Ngarava has already rushed down the wicket by the time the ball reaches the fielder, who is pretty close. The throw arrives and hits the stumps to catch him short, and with that comes Ireland 40-run win as they go 2-1 up

R Ngarava run out 1 (3m 1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 100.00

18.1
0
Little to Chatara, no run, good length ball and outside off. The batter jabs at that without any foot movement and by opening the bat face, but is beaten

Little is back from around the wicket. He has 2 for 18 so far.

END OF OVER:
18 | 4 Runs 1 Wkt | ZIM: 138/9 (41 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 7.66, RRR: 20.50)

  • Tendai Chatara3 (6b)
  • Richard Ngarava1 (1b)
  • Mark Adair3-0-11-3
  • Shane Getkate4-0-32-2
17.6
1
Adair to Chatara, 1 run, slower ball, but this is shortish in length just outside off. Pushed to deep point

Abhai:"Ryan Burl is definitely worth an IPL gig. One of the relatively more reliable hard hitters for Zim in these difficult times. Could come good. And he can bowl very useful legspin, too."

17.5
1
Adair to Ngarava, 1 run, gets this off the inside edge to fine leg. Goes for the heave first ball to this full ball on middle, and backs away to hoick at that

Ngarava is the last man. Getkate around the wicket

17.4
W
Adair to Burl, OUT, taken at fine leg! The entertainment is over. Slower ball on a good length on leg stump, and he swivels while playing that pull, which was really well timed. But because the boundary is pretty big on that side, the ball had to travel a long distance. Simi takes a good, low catch on the fence though

RP Burl c Simi Singh b Adair 26 (30m 23b 2x4 1x6) SR: 113.04

17.3
1
Adair to Chatara, 1 run, dabs this to third man now. Another full ball on off, but much closer to off. He waits for that to come, and taps that gently
17.2
0
Adair to Chatara, no run, fullish and wide of off, and a slower ball. Beaten on his cut. Thinks about a bye to get Burl back on strike, but there is hardly a run there

Over the wicket to Chatara

17.1
1
Adair to Burl, 1 run, whips this to deep square leg, but the ball just drops short of the fielder. Full ball on leg, and he swung away forcefully, with the ball dying on the way to the fielder

Adair back. Around the wicket

END OF OVER:
17 | 13 Runs | ZIM: 134/8 (45 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 7.88, RRR: 15.00)

  • Tendai Chatara1 (3b)
  • Ryan Burl25 (21b)
  • Shane Getkate4-0-32-2
  • Josh Little3-0-18-2
16.6
0
Getkate to Chatara, no run, Run-out chance, but Chatara is safe at the keeper's end. A change of pace again, as he tucked that to short fine leg off a fullish length on middle
16.5
1
Getkate to Burl, 1 run, full and wide of off. Almost a yorker, as he drives to long-off
16.4
1
Getkate to Chatara, 1 run, slower ball, and yorker length on middle. Digs that out off the inside edge to square leg to get Burl back on strike

Captain and bowler in discussion now

Over the wicket to Chatara

16.3
1
Getkate to Burl, 1 run, drags another full and wide ball outside off to long-on. Hit that very hard and along the ground

The ball is sanitised after that hit.

Square leg in, third man out

Zimbabwe 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st15W MadhevereT Marumani
2nd18RW ChakabvaT Marumani
3rd21RW ChakabvaD Myers
4th2CR ErvineD Myers
5th28CR ErvineM Shumba
6th13CR ErvineLM Jongwe
7th7CR ErvineRP Burl
8th17RP BurlWP Masakadza
9th15TL ChataraRP Burl
10th2TL ChataraR Ngarava