Hobart

Ireland crushed two-time T20 World champions West Indies by nine wickets to qualify for the Super-12, sending the Carribean side packing on Friday at Bellerive Oval, Hobart.

Explosive batter Paul Stirling remained unbeaten and played a match-winning knock of 66 runs from 48 deliveries to knock the West Indies out of the T20 World Cup.

Chasing a target of 147, Ireland went hell for leather from the beginning and scored 64 runs from their powerplay overs. Stirling and Andrew Balbirnie opened the innings for Ireland and took a liking to the West Indian bowlers clobbering them all over the park.

Ireland chased down the target for the loss of only one wicket in 17.3 overs.

Earlier, the West Indies set a below-par chase for Ireland after Brandon King anchored the innings with an unbeaten 62 in 48 balls to take his team to 146 in the do-or-die situation for the Caribbean team.

Opting to bat first, the West Indies innings started with a boundary in the first over but they had their first wicket knocked out in the second. Kyle Mayers was dismissed cheaply by Barry McCarthy.

Irish bowlers kept things tight and chipped with wickets at important junctures in the match to never let the West Indian inning flourish.

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Gareth Daleny was the most successful Irish bowler with 3 wickets for 16 runs.