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Zimbabwe, opting to bat first, struggled to 70/6 before a middle-order revival led by Wellington Masakadza (40) helped them reach a total of 166 in 42.5 overs at Harare Sports Club.
As it happened: Zimbabwe vs Ireland
Seamer Josh Little wreaked havoc early in the innings, claiming three wickets in the fourth over, including the dismissal of Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza for just two runs. The Irish bowler’s exceptional spell set the tone for the match, leaving Zimbabwe reeling.
In response, Ireland faced early setbacks, losing opener Andy Balbirnie for a golden duck and captain Paul Stirling (14) cheaply as they stumbled to 29/2.
However, Curtis Campher stepped up to the challenge, playing a crucial innings of 66 off 71 balls. Campher’s aggressive batting, which included 10 fours, helped stabilize the innings.
Campher’s partnerships with Harry Tector (52) and Lorcan Tucker (43) guided Ireland to a total of 170/6 with 59 balls remaining, securing the victory and taking a lead in the three-match series.
Josh Little, awarded the player of the match, expressed his satisfaction with the team’s success and his personal achievement, stating, “It was nice that the team won and I enjoyed some personal success.”
He highlighted the effectiveness of his in-swingers, which proved to be a valuable asset against the right-handers.
Captain Paul Stirling praised Little’s exceptional spell, describing it as “one of the best spells I have seen.” Stirling emphasized the team’s goal to go 1-0 up in the series, expressing their hunger to win the upcoming matches.
Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza acknowledged the top-order struggles and noted the need for competitive scores, stating, “We have had too many top-order collapses this year. We needed at least 200 runs to be competitive.”
The final match of the series is scheduled for Sunday, promising more intense cricket action between Ireland and Zimbabwe.
(With inputs from AFP)
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