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Ireland lose by three runs in chase of 118 despite Simi’s all-round contribution
Zimbabwe 117 for 7 (Chakabva 47, Young 2-15, Simi 2-22) beat Ireland 114 for 9 (Simi 28*, Burl 3-22, Masakadza 2-18) by three runs
Ireland needed 18 runs off the last three overs, 12 off the last two and six off the final over, but Ngarava held his nerve at the end. His first ball was a yorker that Singh could not dig out, his second was quicker and Singh missed and his third was flicked away for one. With five needed off the last three, McCarthy walked across his stumps to try and ramp the ball over short fine leg but was bowled. Craig Young was run-out at the non-striker’s end off the penultimate ball before the last delivery, a low full-toss, cost just one run to give Zimbabwe victory.
Young and carefree
Regal Regis/b>
After the opening blunders, Regis Chakabhva helped Zimbabwe recover, sharing the best partnerships of the innings – 38 with Dion Myers and 30 with Craig Ervine. He gave Zimbabwe their most profitable over against Curtis Campher, who he pulled through midwicket, pounded through point and tucked down to fine leg for three boundaries in his first four balls. Campher’s first over in this format cost 16 runs all told. Chakabva’s best shot, however, was the six he hit off Singh, when he went down on one knee to send the spinner over midwicket. By then, Chakabva made sure Zimbabwe had a stable foundation at 79 for 4 in 12 over. But he didn’t read Singh’s wrong ‘un, in the 13th over, and was bowled. He would have been disappointed to fall one short of equalling his score in the format and three shy of a first T20I fifty.
Opening stand of two sides
Stirling had scored 14 off 12 by the time O’Brien got his first run, a single off the ninth delivery he faced. Stirling then got two more boundaries, to deepen the difference between them. It was only after Stirling misjudged Jongwe’s length and was bowled that O’Brien found his stride. He hit Masakadza over extra cover for four for his first boundary in four matches. He found the rope two more times in his 32-ball innings.
Burl brings Zimbabwe back
Stirling’s dismissal gave Zimbabwe an opportunity to fight their way back and they were able to, thanks largely to, their legspinner, Burl. He bowled with good pace and surprised captain Andy Balbirnie with a quick, flat delivery that pinned him on the front pad and then removed George Dockrell and O’Brien with successive balls to leave Ireland on 65 for 4. Dockrell was caught at long-off trying to clear the rope and O’Brien was bowled when he missed a ball that turned into him. The hat-trick delivery was to Campher, who managed a single but Burl had given Zimbabwe an opening. He finished with 3 for 22, by which time fellow spinner Masakadza had two wickets. Campher holed out to deep midwicket and Shane Getkate was caught reverse-sweeping, at third man.
Singh almost seals it
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s South Africa correspondent