Ireland stun West Indies to record first ever Women’s T20 World Cup win | Cricket News
Ireland finally ended their long wait for a victory in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, defeating the West Indies by six wickets in Bristol on Saturday to record their first win in the tournament after a 12-year losing streak of 21.The result not only marked a historic step for Ireland, but also had a bigger impact on the semi-final. A win would have guaranteed the West Indies a place in the last four. Instead, the defeat gave defending champions New Zealand a lifeline. The White Ferns can now qualify for the semi-finals if they beat England later on Saturday, while an England win will also send the West Indies through.Ireland’s triumph added to a memorable weekend for the country after the men’s team defeated India in a T20I for the first time in Belfast.After restricting the West Indies to 128/7, Ireland chased down the target with 11 balls to spare. Orla Prendergast produced another winning performance, anchoring the innings with a superb 63 from 44 deliveries. His knock put Ireland firmly in control before they departed with just 21 runs still needed.Rebecca Stokell and Louise Little kept their composure during the closing stages, with the latter sealing the famous win by pulling the winning boundary past half-time as Ireland finished on 129/4.Earlier, West Indies struggled to build momentum after being sent in to bat, managing just 128/7 despite several batsmen starting. Ireland’s disciplined bowling and sharp fielding ensured that the Caribbean side never managed to accelerate, leaving them with a total below par to defend.
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