Pakistan vs Ireland, 9th Match, Group D at Kingston, , Mar 17 2007 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
9th Match, Group D, Kingston, March 17, 2007, ICC World Cup
(41.4/47 ov, T:128) 133/7

Ireland won by 3 wickets (with 32 balls remaining) (D/L method)

Player Of The Match
72 (107) & 2 catches
niall-o-brien
New
IRE
Full commentary

From an exhausted Martin Williamson, goodnight and many thanks for all your kind comments and observations. Check out the match gallery and the bulletin. We will be back tomorrow to see if Canada can upset England or Netherlands can beat Australia. It will take something amazing to match today for drama and excitement. A bad day for Pakistan, and a bad day for India who lost to Bangladesh. A good day for neutrals and those who have backed the inclusion of the Associates in the tournament ...

The Irish players pour onto the field while the Pakistan players, after congratulating their conquerers, head for the dressing-room. Ireland are probably through to the Super Eights - it would need something amazing from Zimbabwe to deny them - while Pakistan are on their way home. The one plus is that is was not settled on Duckworth-Lewis and that both sides had a chance to sort things in the middle.

41.4
6
Mahmood to Johnston, SIX runs

Johnston swings and clubs the ball out of the ground over long-on. The crowd go mad as Billy Bowden's bent fingers are raised aloft ...

The crowd are torn between those celebrating and those who cannot watch. Almost all the Pakistan fans, understandably, have gone home.

41.3
Mahmood to Johnston, no run

full, driven to mid-on

41.2
1
Mahmood to K O'Brien, 1 run

tip-and-run, Johnston was yards short if the throw from Nazir at cover had hit, but it wasn't close. The scores are tied

Wichka emails: "The commentators were biased and didn't give the fair overview. They should be sacked. All commentators should not show bias regardless of which country they are from." A bad loser? Surely not ...

41.1
Mahmood to K O'Brien, no run

solid forward defensive shot, no risks with two needed

Bob Woolmer looks like thunder and the others on the balcony seem stunned.

end of over 411 run
IRE: 126/7CRR: 3.07 RRR: 0.33
Trent Johnston3 (12b)
Kevin O'Brien15 (50b 2x4)
Mohammad Hafeez 4-0-15-1
Umar Gul 9-0-24-0
40.6
Hafeez to Johnston, no run

fired in at off stump, squeezed to square leg

40.5
1
Hafeez to K O'Brien, 1 run

worked past mid-on, there's a man in the deep so just the one. More cheers ...

40.4
Hafeez to K O'Brien, no run

forward and flicked round the corner but there's a man there on the one

40.3
Hafeez to K O'Brien, no run

pushed to leg, it goes nowhere

40.2
Hafeez to K O'Brien, no run

steps but to cut but he misses it ... there's nobody in the deep on the off, just three in the ring

40.1
Hafeez to K O'Brien, no run

forward defensive, kills the spin

Inzamam has used all his front-line seamers, so it's Hafeez. Six inside the circle ...

end of over 403 runs
IRE: 125/7CRR: 3.12 RRR: 0.42
Kevin O'Brien14 (45b 2x4)
Trent Johnston3 (11b)
Umar Gul 9-0-24-0
Iftikhar Anjum 10-0-29-2
39.6
1
Umar Gul to K O'Brien, 1 run

leg side, he looks to turn it round the corner but it's glove and thigh pad rather than bat ... they don't care, it's a run and that's all that matters to the Irish

39.5
Umar Gul to K O'Brien, no run

O'Brien back and over that, he did well as it got big on him but he was right on top of it

39.4
Umar Gul to K O'Brien, no run

another good yorker but outside off stump, and again dug out

The Irish are in full voice, this is more Croke Park than Sabina Park now

39.3
1
Umar Gul to Johnston, 1 run

worked down to third man

39.2
Umar Gul to Johnston, no run

great yorker, shades of Waqar in his pomp, but Johnston got his feet out of the way and somehow dug it out. Superb and absorbing cricket all round

39.1
Umar Gul to Johnston, no run

firm drive to extra cover

39.1
1w
Umar Gul to Johnston, 1 wide

full toss down the leg side, Akmal did really well to leap to his left and take that, it could easily have been five wides

You could feel the release of tension as that ball sped across the turf. This is Gul's last over.

end of over 395 runs
IRE: 122/7CRR: 3.12 RRR: 0.75
Kevin O'Brien13 (42b 2x4)
Trent Johnston2 (8b)
Iftikhar Anjum 10-0-29-2
Umar Gul 8-0-21-0
38.6
4
Iftikhar to K O'Brien, FOUR runs

short and a trifle wide, O'Brien stands tall and launches that between cover and extra cover, well timed and the fielders had no chance

38.5
Iftikhar to K O'Brien, no run

short and O'Brien ducks rather than hooks

38.4
1
Iftikhar to Johnston, 1 run

huge cheer as the ball goes into the leg side and the batsmen scamper a single

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ICC World Cup

Super Eights
TEAMMWLPTNRR
AUS770142.400
SL752101.483
NZ752100.253
SA74380.313
ENG7346-0.394
WI7254-0.566
BAN7162-1.514
IRE7162-1.730
Group A
TEAMMWLPTNRR
AUS33063.433
SA32142.403
NED3122-2.527
SCOT3030-3.793
Group B
TEAMMWLPTNRR
SL33063.493
BAN3214-1.523
IND31221.206
BER3030-4.345
Group C
TEAMMWLPTNRR
NZ33062.138
ENG32140.418
KENYA3122-1.194
CAN3030-1.389
Group D
TEAMMWLPTNRR
WI33060.764
IRE3113-0.092
PAK31220.089
ZIM3021-0.886