Johor Heist: Ireland's Super Six smash and grab
Ireland make late charge in Malaysia to claim last Super Six spot in Group B at U19 Women's T20 World Cup.
By Daniel Beswick in Johor
Ireland's relationship with rain-affected cricket at global events is a rocky one.
From a hair-pulling five-run defeat on DLS to India at the 2023 Women's T20 World Cup in Gqeberha, to rain curtailing the Men's 2024 T20 World Cup campaign, there have been numerous lows.
Ireland's big moment
On the other side though, they've had their share of triumphs, like a Men's T20 World Cup 2022 victory against England, and of course a famous 2007 Men's Cricket World Cup chase, where Kingston played host to a famous three-wicket win over Pakistan on St. Patrick's Day.
Johor Bahru may be a world away from Jamaica, but Ireland's rainy victory at the U19 Women's T20 World Cup has a common denominator with the famous 2007 win: A Full Member opponent in Pakistan.
Match Highlights of the nail-biting clash
Nails were bitten as Ireland squad members and staff looked upward, as a break in the rain was pleaded for. These wishes looked as if they had been answered as covers came off during the delay, only for ground staff to be hastily thrown back on, as a second band of rain came across the ground in the south of the country.
As the squad, staff, and a strong family contingent looked to the heavens for a second time, losing hope of a match, a reprieve came.
Somehow before the cut-off time of 5:12 pm, umpires met with the two captains and confirmed a nine-over match.
Captain Niamh MacNulty, beaming, fist-pumped towards her team in jubilation, a signal not misinterpreted by the rest of the group.
It's 2025, and it was a Women's U19 squad ready to shine even under the gloom of clouds.
The teams learn of match conditions after the rain delay /// Matt King/Getty Images
The resumption came in the fourth over of Ireland's innings, after MacNulty had won the toss and elected to bat in spite of the threatening weather.
Before the break, the side looked to attack through Alice Walsh and Freya Sargent, before the latter was trapped lbw by the new-ball exploits of Mahnoor Zeb.
The delay at 3.1 threatened to kybosh Ireland’s campaign, though the two hour delay only galvanised the Ireland group, ready to unleash when play resumed.
Walsh leapt at the half-chance to lift the team, hitting Fatima Khan for four consecutive boundaries in the first over back on, deep into the afternoon. Her 31 (19) powered Ireland to 69/5 from nine overs, with DLS calculations bumping Pakistan’s target up to 73.
Pakistan hit back, racing to 24/0 from two overs, though Ireland stood firm in their fielding display, running out three of Pakistan's top four batters, before Ellie McGee (2/13) and Ireland's bowlers closed out a 13-run DLS victory.
Matching their effort in the inaugural edition in 2023, MacNulty praised her team for scratching and clinging to a victory, and promised "lots" to come in the next phase.
“It came down to the last game today. We didn't have the good performances earlier on in the group stage, so, we put everything into that last game, and (I’m) so glad we came out the other end.
“We're a fighting team and we have grit and we take everything by the scruff of the neck."
Now the latest Super Six entrants move on to Sarawak to take on South Africa in the next phase, carrying over just one point to the next stage thanks to a washout against England.
They will then move back to Kuala Lumpur to take on Nigeria at UKM Oval.