Ireland Women vs West Indies Women Match 27 Full Commentary

We are back for the chase! The players are already out in the middle now. Amy Hunter and Gaby Lewis are the two openers for Ireland Women. Hayley Matthews will start proceedings with her off-breaks. Here we go...

…THE RUN CHASE…

Intriguing chase awaits - Chasing 129, Ireland Women will aim to bat sensibly and finish their tournament on a high. Can they pull off an upset, or will the West Indies bowlers defend this total? Stay tuned for the second essay.

A quick word - Ireland Women's Jane Maguire says that they stuck to their plans. Adds that hopefully the girls can get a good start and chase it down. Mentions that the pitch is a bit low and up and down. Shares that they were disappointed with not getting over the line against New Zealand, but she believes that if they stick to the plans, they can win here. Says that she was disappointed about missing out on the World Cup squad initially, but is very happy to be playing here, and it was special to get the wicket of Dottin.

Chokehold with the ball - For Ireland Women, it was a collective effort with every bowler contributing. Aimee Maguire and Cara Murray stood out with two wickets apiece, while Orla Prendergast, Jane Maguire, and Arlene Kelly also chipped in with a wicket each to keep the pressure on throughout the innings.

Ireland keep West Indies in check - Ireland Women produced an impressive bowling display to restrict West Indies Women to a below-par 128/7. Batting first, the West Indies innings never quite found momentum, as the experienced trio of Hayley Matthews, Stafanie Taylor, and Deandra Dottin all spent time at the crease but struggled to find their timing. Chinelle Henry once again provided late resistance with a brisk unbeaten 27, helping push the total close to the 130-run mark.

Ireland Women continue to get the wickets. Aaliyah Alleyne comes in at number 9.

Last over coming up. Orla Prendergast to bowl. Can the West Indies Women breach the 130 mark? Let's find out.

West Indies Women are 110/6 with 2 overs to go. Who bowls the penultimate over? It will be Arlene Kelly.

Another one bites the dust. Jannillea Glasgow comes in at number 8.

From Bristol to London - Right then, that wraps up a memorable contest where Ireland Women scripted history with a famous victory over West Indies Women. But the drama is far from over! Up next is another blockbuster as England Women take on New Zealand Women in a match that will decide the final semi-final spot. A win for the White Ferns sends them through, while an England victory will see West Indies sneak into the last four. The toss is done and New Zealand have elected to BAT first. Simply switch tabs and join us for all the action. Until then, cheers!

The victorious skipper of Ireland Women - Gaby Lewis is absolutely delighted with the victory and says she is incredibly proud of the team for bouncing back after some heavy defeats earlier in the tournament. She always believed the target was within reach, given the quality in Ireland's batting line-up, and is pleased the players backed themselves to play positive cricket. She adds that while the tournament has brought its share of setbacks, there have also been plenty of encouraging performances. She credits the team's unity and resilience for helping them stay together through the tough moments and says that spirit made the historic victory even more special.

The captain of West Indies Women - Hayley Matthews feels West Indies let the game slip with the bat, saying they made a decent start in the Powerplay but failed to keep the scoreboard moving and were forced to play catch-up after not taking on the bowlers early in their spells. She also admits there were lapses in execution with the ball and a few costly mistakes in the field. She acknowledges that neither she nor Deandra Dottin have been at their best with the bat and says the senior players need to take greater responsibility. She points out that, unlike Orla Prendergast for Ireland, none of the West Indies batters went on to play a substantial innings. Despite the disappointment, she says the team will embrace the opportunity if they make the semi-finals, adding that they need to channel the pain of this defeat into producing better performances. She also hopes Chinelle Henry recovers in time, praising her resilience despite regularly battling injuries.

Time to hear from the two captains now...

Windies pay the price - West Indies needed something special to defend their modest total, and Ashmini Munisar gave them the perfect start with an early breakthrough. However, they failed to build on it as their bowlers repeatedly dropped too short, allowing the Irish batters to score freely. Afy Fletcher and Hayley Matthews struck in the middle overs, but the damage had already been done. The shock defeat not only handed Ireland a famous victory but also left West Indies' semi-final hopes hanging by a thread, with qualification no longer in their own hands.

A quick chat - Ireland Women's Amy Hunter says the victory is an unbelievable feeling, admitting Ireland have been building towards this moment for a while and are delighted to finally register their first-ever T20 World Cup win. She heaps praise on Orla Prendergast, calling her outstanding and revealing her main aim during their partnership was to keep Orla on strike as much as possible. She admits there were a few nerves after Prendergast's dismissal but credits the middle order for holding their composure and getting the team over the line. She also highlights the resilience this Irish side has shown through difficult moments and believes it is something they can continue to build on. She thanks the travelling Irish supporters for their incredible backing and is thrilled the team could reward them with a historic win. She adds that the message during the chase was to build partnerships, something Ireland had spoken about throughout the tournament and executed perfectly today. She also praises skipper Gaby Lewis for leading from the front throughout the competition and says she deserves immense credit for her leadership.

Irish bowlers rise to the occasion - Earlier in the game, Ireland Women produced a spirited bowling performance to restrict West Indies Women to a below-par total. Cara Murray and Aimee Maguire led the way with two wickets apiece, while every other bowler chipped in with one to ensure the pressure never eased. The experienced trio of Hayley Matthews, Stafanie Taylor and Deandra Dottin all got starts but struggled to shift gears, as Ireland's disciplined attack kept them in check throughout. Chinelle Henry's unbeaten 27 off 21 provided a late boost, dragging West Indies close to the 130-run mark and giving their bowlers something to defend.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Undoubtedly, Orla Prendergast wins the award for her match-winning 63 off 44 and 1/29 with the ball as well. She says the victory means a great deal to the team. She adds that they had belief throughout the tournament and are pleased to finally cross the finish line. She notes that they approached the chase with a different tempo and that the changing conditions also played a key role in their win. Orla explains that the focus was on building a strong partnership and putting the team in a good position. Prendergast also feels it was probably their best all-round performance in terms of bowling and fielding. She ended by thanking the fans for their constant support, calling them the team’s '12th man' throughout the competition.

A chase to remember - Despite losing skipper Gaby Lewis early, Ireland Women refused to panic as Amy Hunter and Orla Prendergast stitched together a match-defining 62-run partnership after a steady 37/1 Powerplay. Hunter laid the platform before Prendergast took centre stage, smashing a brilliant 63 off 44 to put Ireland within touching distance of history. Although her dismissal sparked a few late nerves, Rebecca Stokell kept her cool with an unbeaten 16 off 15 to steer Ireland home and seal their first-ever T20 World Cup victory.

Ireland shake up the semi-final race - Yesterday, Ireland Men's team created history by defeating India for the first time ever in international cricket. Just a day later, Ireland Women delivered another memorable moment, pulling off a stunning victory over West Indies Women. The win is even more special as it marks Ireland Women's first-ever triumph in T20 World Cup history. In the process, they not only beat the West Indies but also knocked them out of control of their own semi-final fate. The Caribbean side must now anxiously wait and hope England Women defeat New Zealand Women to keep their semi-final hopes alive.

Qiana Joseph is back on.

The next batter in is Louise Little.

Nelson on the board with 4 overs to go. Ireland Women need 18 runs to win. This is going down to the wire. Here is Ashmini Munisar to bowl out.