Two-time world champions, the West Indies, suffered a massive heartbreak on Friday as their crashed out of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022. In their last Round 1 game in Hobart, Nicholas Pooran & Co received a 9-wicket thrashing by Ireland. The defeat led the West Indies out of the tournament right away while the Andrew Balbirnie-led Irishmen made it to the Super12.
The Windies needed to put up a challenging total after opting to bat in the do-or-die encounter at the Bellerive Oval. However, the Men in Maroon surrendered against a disciplined Irish bowling attack. Gareth Delany returned career-best figures of 3/16, helping his team restrict the West Indies to 146/5.
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In reply, veteran Ireland opener Paul Stirling stood smashed a sensational 66 not out off 48 balls to take Ireland to the Super 12 stage of the ongoing tournament with 15 balls to spare. He came out all guns blazing in his unbeaten 48-ball knock, hitting six fours and two sixes to make a mockery of the chase.
The shocking defeat of the Windies soon became a matter to talk about on social media.
Absolutely gutted..💔 pic.twitter.com/5NKTmJTwAK
— Windy Cricket (@windiescricket) October 21, 2022
Absolutely shameful and most shambolic day in the history of Windies cricket.
— Udit (@udit_buch) October 21, 2022
A sensational thrashing of the West Indies by the Irish! They sail through and the Windies head for the airport departure lounge. Someone in the Irish government should commission a statue of Paul Stirling, or at least a waxwork.
— Iceland Cricket (@icelandcricket) October 21, 2022
Good Bye Windies…..#T20WorldCup2022 #IREvWI pic.twitter.com/lcZBCtwjfM
— Nyctophile (@SaadDogar77) October 21, 2022
Shimron Hetmyer waiting for windies team at the airport pic.twitter.com/1kNj1TwWSX
— Piyush Sharma (@BeingAbnormal01) October 21, 2022
West Indies downfall started here. pic.twitter.com/RMGHHDBBGI
— M. (@IconicKohIi) October 21, 2022
In 2016 – West Indies become the T20 World Cup champions.
In 2022 – West Indies knock out of the first round in T20 World Cup.A sad decline of West Indies cricket.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) October 21, 2022
If they had arranged a Private Jet for Shimron Hetymer things could have been different for West Indies. pic.twitter.com/r1Viy7HwaM
— Vicky Shinde (@iamshinde83) October 21, 2022
West Indies 🙏pic.twitter.com/NPurZy1i70
— Prithvi (@Puneite_) October 21, 2022
This is the first time a champion team didn’t qualify for Super 12.
Tough times for West Indies cricket.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) October 21, 2022
West Indies got punished for punishing Shimron Hetmyer. 💀
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) October 21, 2022
Stirling stitched a blazing 73-opening stand with captain Andrew Balbirnie and then put on 77 runs for the unbroken second wicket stand with Lorcan Tucker (45 not out) for Ireland to enter the Super 12 stage after failing to get past the first round in their last five T20 World Cup appearances and knock out the clueless two-time champions out of the competition.
(With Agency Inputs)
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