Former champions Pakistan were eliminated from the World Cup when they lost an enthralling Group D match against part-timers Ireland by three wickets at Sabina Park on Saturday. The defeat of the 1992 champions by the debutants is one of the biggest shocks in the nine-tournament history of the World Cup which was first played in 1975.
Ireland, requiring a revised target of 128 after a rain delay during their innings, won with a six over mid-wicket by captain Trent Johnston off Azhar Mahmood. There were 32 balls remaining.
Australian-born Johnston, cheered on by a jubilant Irish contingent already celebrating St Patrick's Day, punched the air in jubilation as the ball sailed over the boundary ropes.
Several of his team mates clad in emerald green rushed on to the field to embrace him as the dejected Pakistan players stood forlornly. "You don't really expect to beat a major Test country like that but we have said all along that funny things can happen," Irish coach Adrian Birrell told reporters.
"We are a side that is capable of upsets. We've done it before and we drew on that belief of past experiences."
POLE POSITION:
The result means Pakistan, who also lost their opening match against West Indies on Tuesday, are out and Ireland are in pole position to progress to the Super Eights, probably with the hosts, from the group.
"I've experienced a few bad days in my life and this ranks pretty highly with ones that I have experienced," Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer said in a news conference. "I think it's important that I remember that this is a game and in a game things like this happen."
He had been expected to stand down as Pakistan coach after the World Cup in any case.
Two brothers secured easily Irish cricket's biggest triumph. Kevin O'Brien was 16 not out at the climax after his brother Niall had earlier scored a crucial 72. Ireland were coasting to victory at 113-5 but the 35th over of the innings bowled by Rao Iftikhar included two wickets and that created a tense finale.
EARLY HOPE:
Paceman Mohammad Sami had given Pakistan early hope with two wickets, and finished with 3-29 but Ireland resisted every Pakistan offensive before edging home in the gathering gloom.
Pakistan, who had lost their opening match to hosts West Indies on Tuesday, were earlier dismissed for 132 in 45.4 overs as seamer Boyd Rankin claimed 3-32, including 13 wides.
Pakistan lost the match because of their batting - their top scorer was extras with 29. They began losing wickets as early as the first over when Mohammad Hafeez (4) was caught behind from seamer David Langford-Smith to the sixth ball of the match.
The usually reliable Younis Khan then followed with a third-ball nought and Mohammad Yousuf, another batsman that Pakistan look to when they need to steady the innings, lasted 31 balls before he was caught for 15 off Johnston. That was 56-3.
The loss of skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq in the next over was the moment when the Irish party really began. He edged the South African-born medium-pacer Andre Botha to Eoin Morgan at slip for one and Pakistan never recovered.
The seven-week World Cup culminates with the April 28 final in Barbados.
SCOREBOARD:
PAKISTAN:
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Mohammad Hafeez c N. O'Brien b Langford-Smith 4
Imran Nazir c Morgan b Botha 24
Younis Khan c Botha b Rankin 0
Mohammad Yousuf c Porterfield b Johnson 15
Inzamam-ul-Haq c Morgan b Botha 1
Shoaib Malik c N. O'Brien b K. O'Brien 9
Kamran Akmal c Johnston b Rankin 27
Azhar Mahmood c Johnston b Rankin 2
Mohammad Sami c Bray b McCallan 12
Rao Iftikhar not out 8
Umar Gul c (sub) J. Mooney b McCallan 1
Extras: (lb3, w22, nb4) 29
Total: (all out) 132
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Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-15, 3-56, 4-58, 5-66, 6-72, 7-103, 8-105, 9-130, 10-132
Bowling: Langford-Smith 10-1-31-1 (1nb, 5w); Rankin 9-1-32-3 (2nb, 12w); Botha 8-4-5-2; Johnston 7-1-20-1 (1nb, 4w); K. O'Brien 6-0-29-1 (1w); McCallan 5.4-1-12-2.
Overs: 45.3 overs
Ireland
(revised target: 128 runs off 47 overs)
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J. Bray lbw b Mohammad Sami 3
W. Porterfield b Mohammad Hafeez 13
E. Morgan lbw b Mohammad Sami 2
N. O'Brien st Akmal b Shoaib Malik 72
A. Botha c Hafeez b Mohammad Sami 0
K. O'Brien not out 16
A. White c Hafeez b Rao Iftikhar 4
K. McCallan c Younis Khan b Rao 0
T. Johnston not out 9
Extras: (lb2, w11, nb1) 14
Total: (7 wkts) 133
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Did not bat: D. Langford-Smith, B. Rankin
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-15, 3-62,4-70, 5-108, 6-113, 7-113.
Bowling: Umar Gul 9-0-24-0 (3w); Mohammad Sami 10-0-29-3 (3w); Iftikhar Anjum 10-0-29-2 (3w); Azhar Mahmood 7.4-1-25-0 (2w); Mohammad Hafeez 4-0-15-1; Shoaib Malik 1-0-9-1 (1nb).
Overs: 41.4
Result: Ireland won by three wickets (D/L Method).
Points: Ireland 2, Pakistan 0.
Toss: Ireland.
Man-of-the-Match: Niall O'Brien (Ireland).
Umpires: Billy Bowden (NZL) and Brian Jerling (RSA);
TV Replays: Simon Taufel (AUS), Reserve: Ian Gould (ENG).
Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG).
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