Canada players celebrate their victory by 12 runs over Ireland at an ICC Men's T20 World Cup cricket match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Westbury, New York.
Canada punched above their weight to shock fancied Ireland by 12 runs and record their first win in the T20 World Cup on a pitch that played much better and where the batters weren't getting hit on Friday. Asked to bat first, Canada struggled to force the pace until Barbadian-born Nicholas Kirton threw caution to the wind and lifted them to a fighting 137 for seven. Kirton blasted to a 35-ball 49 and wicketkeeper Shreyas Movva chipped in with 37 in 36 deliveries as the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium saw 100 being crossed for the first time in the tournament. In reply, Ireland too went past the three-figure mark but fell short of the 138-run target set by Canada, ending at 125 for seven. George Dockrell (30 not out) and Mark Adair (34 off 24 balls) revived Ireland's prospects with their excellent partnership of 62 runs, but they couldn't see their team through.
Canada players celebrate their victory by 12 runs over Ireland at an ICC Men's T20 World Cup cricket match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Westbury, New York.
Ireland's Mark Adair plays a shot against Canada during an ICC Men's T20 World Cup cricket match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Westbury, New York.
Ireland's George Dockrell bats against Canada during an ICC Men's T20 World Cup cricket match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Westbury, New York.
Canada's Aaron Johnson, third from right, is congratulated by teammates after taking the catch to dismiss Ireland's Curtis Campher for 4 runs during an ICC Men's T20 World Cup cricket match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Westbury, New York.
Canada's captain Saad Zafar, right, celebrates with teammate Aaron Johnson after taking the wicket of Ireland's Harry Tector during an ICC Men's T20 World Cup cricket match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Westbury, New York.
Ireland's captain Paul Stirling plays a shot against Canada during an ICC Men's T20 World Cup cricket match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Westbury, New York.
Canada's Shreyas Movva bats against Ireland during an ICC Men's T20 World Cup cricket match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Westbury, New York.
Canada's Dilpreet Bajwa bats against Ireland during an ICC Men's T20 World Cup cricket match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Westbury, New York.
Canada's Navneet Dhaliwal bats against Ireland during an ICC Men's T20 World Cup cricket match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Westbury, New York.
Canada's Aaron Johnson bats against Ireland during an ICC Men's T20 World Cup cricket match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Westbury, New York.
Ireland's Mark Adair bowls as Canada's non-striking batsman Navneet Dhaliwal looks on during an ICC Men's T20 World Cup cricket match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Westbury, New York.