Saad Bin Zafar of Canada appeals for a wicket during the match against Ireland. — AFP
Canada won their first match at any Twenty20 World Cup when they stunned Ireland by 12 runs in a Group A game in New York on Friday.
Defending a target of just 138, the non-Test nation bowled and fielded expertly to hold Ireland to 125-7 from their full 20 overs.
Ireland collapsed spectacularly to 59-6 and come the last five overs they still needed 64 more runs to win — a rate of more than 12 an over
George Dockrell (30 not out) and Mark Adair (34) reduced the target to 17 off the last six balls.
But Canada paceman Jeremy Gordon held his nerve superbly, conceding just three runs and dismissing Adair with the second ball of the 20th over when he held a skyed caught and bowled chance.
The 37-year-old Guyana-born Gordon finished with fine figures of 2-16 from his maximum four overs.
Canada themselves had been struggling to 53-4 after losing the toss before a key stand of 75 in 10 overs between Barbados-born left-hander Nicholas Kirton (49) and Shreyas Movva (37) helped take them to a total of 137-7.
Victory meant Canada bounced back from an opening defeat by the USA.
But this result was Ireland’s second successive loss at this tournament following an eight-wicket reverse against India.
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