PHOTO: AP

PERFECT FINISH: Trent Johnston capped Ireland's dream run against Pakistan on Saturday with a six to seal victory.

KINGSTON: Ireland produced one of the biggest upsets in cricket World Cup history, beating Pakistan by three wickets in a rain-interrupted Group D match Saturday and consigning the 1992 champions to a first-round exit.

Ireland bowled out Pakistan for 132 in 45.4 overs with 2-meter (6-feet-7) tall pacer Boyd Rankin claiming 3-32.

Ireland captain Trent Johnson clinched the win with a six, lifting Ireland to 133-7 after Niall O'Brien's 72 guided the Irish within 20 runs of the rain-revised target.

Bad light stalled the Irish at 81 for four off 27.3 overs but they reached their revised target of 128 off 47 overs with 32 balls to spare despite a few late wobbles.

The 25-year-old O'Brien hit six fours and a six off 107 deliveries in a match-winning pursuit.

His younger brother, Kevin, helped steady a late slide with an unbeaten 16 as Ireland got home in fading light.

Johnston's six set off wild celebrations among the predominantly Irish among the crowd of 6,000, which was even livelier than usual on account of festivities for St. Patrick's Day.

Ireland, which tied its opening match against Zimbabwe, now leads Group D with three points and could qualify for the next round, the Super 8s.

``I'm over the moon,'' Johnston said. ``To be competitive and beat Pakistan, who have won a World Cup and have been on top of cricket for so many years, it's amazing.''

The Irish team celebrated its win with a lap of honor and also stayed to sing national songs with ecstatic fans as the sun set over the arena.

``We're just going to enjoy the moment today. Obviously, it's St. Patrick's Day, we're going to have a couple of beers and enjoy the moment, enjoy the result,'' Johnston said.

Pakistan, knowing that two wins would end any chance it had of making the next round after its opening loss to West Indies, made a spirited defense of its modest total with Mohammad Sami taking 3-29 and Rao Iftikhar returning 2-29.

Sami struck two early blows in removing first match century-maker Jeremy Bray and Eoin Morgan as Ireland slipped to 15 for two.

Niall O'Brien and William Porterfield steadied things with a match-high stand of 47 for the third wicket.

Pakistan bounced back with the wickets of Porterfield and Botha just before a short delay for bad light added to the tension.

On resumption, the O'Brien brothers shared a crucial stand of 38 to tilt the balance back to the Irish team.

Niall fell to an ill-judged swish at off-spinner Shoaib Malik and Rao Iftikhar claimed two quick wickets as Pakistan threatened a late comeback.

But Kevin and captain Johnston shared an unbroken stand of 20 to seal the famous result.

Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq attributed his squad's early exit to poor batting.

``We weren't down after the West Indies (loss) but unfortunately these things happen _ the last two or three years we've been playing well but sometimes these things just happen,'' he said. I came here with big hopes.

``Credit goes to the Ireland bowlers who bowled tight lines, but we played some poor shots.''

The Irish got on top early after winning the toss and sending Pakistan in to bat.

David Langford-Smith took a wicket in the first over and Pakistan never fully recovered.

A total of 29 extras made it the most significant contributor for Pakistan as Ireland delivered 23 wides and three no balls.

Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal hit 27 but only Imran Nazir (24), Mohammad Yousuf (15) and Mohammad Sami (12) followed him to double figures.

Mohammad Hafeez was caught behind to enliven the Irish effort.

Rankin, extracting steep bounce, also began nicely as he claimed Younis Khan for a duck as the Pakistan vice-captain edged to first slip.

Nazir and Yousuf mounted a mini-recovery by adding 41 for the third wicket before Johnston made a crucial breakthrough. Yousuf slapped a wide delivery straight to backward point.

The Pakistanis soon slumped to 72 for six as skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq, Imran Nazir and Shoaib Malik fell soon afterward.

Akmal led a seventh-wicket stand of 31 with Azhar Mahmood but both fell in Rankin's second spell.

Sami and Rao Iftikhar brought some respectability with a partnership of 25 that propped up the score from an ugly 105-8, but both were caught in the deep as McCallan finished off the innings.

Ireland, one of five Associate members to qualify for the World Cup, faces West Indies on Friday in its last group match. Pakistan must beat Zimbabwe convincingly on Wednesday to have even a remote chance of advancing.-AP

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail