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!
R Ngarava run out 1 (3m 1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 100.00
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
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."
Ngarava is the last man. Getkate around the wicket
RP Burl c Simi Singh b Adair 26 (30m 23b 2x4 1x6) SR: 113.04
Over the wicket to Chatara
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
Captain and bowler in discussion now
Over the wicket to Chatara
The ball is sanitised after that hit.
Square leg in, third man out
