T20 World Cup 2024: Pakistan vs Ireland Man of the Match, Post-match presentation ceremony details, key stats

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T20 World Cup 2024: Pakistan defeated Ireland by three wickets to sign off from the T20 World Cup 2024 at a winning note in Florida on Sunday, June 16. After opting to bowl first, Pakistan restricted Ireland to 106/9 in 20 overs.

Ireland were once six down for 32 in 6.3 overs before a 44-run partnership between Gareth Delany (31) and Mark Adair (15). Pakistan had Ireland nine down for 80 in 14 overs, but the last pair of Benjamin Whites and Joshua Little played out the remaining six overs.

Shaheen Afridi took two wickets in the first over and finished with figures of 3/22. Mohammad Amir picked two wickets, while Imad Wasim also scalped three wickets for eight runs in four overs.

In reply Pakistan openers Saim Ayub (17) and Mohammad Rizwan (17) partnered for 23 runs for the first wicket. But they lost the plot once Rizwan, Ayub and Fakhar Zaman (5) went back to the pavilion. From 52/3 in 8.1 overs, Pakistan were reduced to 62/6.

But Babar Azam (32*) stood rock solid at the other end and partnered for 33 runs off 40 balls with Abbas Afridi (17 off 21). Later, Shaheen Afridi (13*) struck two sixes in the 19th over with three wickets and seven balls remaining.

Pakistan failed to qualify for the Super 8 and finished third (four points in four matches). Ireland could not win any of their Group A matches. India and USA were the two teams to qualify for the Super 8 from Group A.

T20 World Cup 2024: Pakistan vs Ireland Man of the Match

Shaheen Afridi was adjudged Man of the Match for picking three wickets for 22 runs in four overs. He also scored 13 unbeaten runs off 5 balls which included two sixes.

T20 World Cup 2024: Pakistan vs Ireland - Who said what?

Shaheen Afridi (Man of the Match): "Wicket was supporting for the new ball, we just tried to hit our good areas and strike early. Our plans were a success. My idea is to bowl fuller, we were trying to hit our areas. We didn't play good cricket which our country demands.

"There are few areas we need to improve quickly, Champions Trophy is coming. We have to improve and we'll have to grow as a team. Crowd - they always come and support us, thank you everyone for the support. It's tough times but they always come and support us, that's what we need as a team. That's my job, I come late (to bat) in the innings, I just hit. The team needed it. Always trying to hit sixes."

Paul Stirling (Ireland captain): "Think so, played well I patches, start of the day didn't go terribly well, they put pressure on us early on. Proud of the fight we've shown, 30 for 5 to get that score, wasn't too far away. It's getting that balance right. T20 we probably haven't got that this time around. It's been a difficult couple of weeks, go back regroup and see if we can come back stronger."

Babar Azam (Pakistan captain): "Yes we finished well, we took early wickets with the ball. With the bat we didn't finish well. Lost back to back wickets, got over the line in the end. I think with the bowling, conditions suit our bowlers, in batting few mistakes in USA, India matches, when you lose wickets pressure is on you.

"Let's see, what team needs, I'll be okay with it. Have a good bunch of players, we've to go home, chat and see where we lacked, and then come back. Couldn't finish off close games, as a team we weren't good as a team."

Pakistan vs Ireland Key Stats

• Shaheen Afridi picked a wicket in the first over of the T20 World Cup for the seventh time
• Babar Azam broke MS Dhoni's record for most runs in T20 World Cups as captain. He has 549 runs from 17 innings now
• Shaheen Afridi has joint second-highest Man of the Match awards for Pakistan in T20 World Cups. Umar Gul also won the MoM awards. Shahid Afridi, the father-in-law and former captain of Pakistan, won for Player of the Match awards in T20 World Cup