Ball by Ball Commentary & Live Score - IRE vs PAK, 9th Match, Group D

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

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

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Mahmood to Johnston, no run

full, driven to mid-on

41.2

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

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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.

Over41

1 run

IRE 126/7CRR: 3.07 RRR: 0.33

Trent Johnston 3 (12b)Kevin O'Brien 15 (50b 2x4)

Mohammad Hafeez1/15 (4)

40.6

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Hafeez to Johnston, no run

fired in at off stump, squeezed to square leg

40.5

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

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Hafeez to K O'Brien, no run

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

40.3

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Hafeez to K O'Brien, no run

pushed to leg, it goes nowhere

40.2

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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

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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 ...

Over40

3 runs

IRE 125/7CRR: 3.12 RRR: 0.42

Kevin O'Brien 14 (45b 2x4)Trent Johnston 3 (11b)

Umar Gul0/24 (9)

39.6

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

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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

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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

Umar Gul to Johnston, 1 run

worked down to third man

39.2

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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

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Umar Gul to Johnston, no run

firm drive to extra cover

39.1

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.

Over39

5 runs

IRE 122/7CRR: 3.12 RRR: 0.75

Kevin O'Brien 13 (42b 2x4)Trent Johnston 2 (8b)

Iftikhar Anjum2/29 (10)

38.6

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

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Iftikhar to K O'Brien, no run

short and O'Brien ducks rather than hooks

38.4

Iftikhar to Johnston, 1 run

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

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