IRELAND capped off a fine weekend for Irish sport by sealing a St Patrick’s Day victory over Zimbabwe in the final ball of their dramatic World Twenty20 opener in Bangladesh.
Zimbabwe recorded 163-5 from their 20 overs after securing almost 10 runs an over in the initial stage of the game, but Paul Stirling's impressive 60 awarded Ireland the advantage and they required four runs from the final over to win.
Despite looking to secure a comfortable victory at first, Ireland suddenly lost two wickets in the closing stages of the match.
With one run needed from the last ball Stuart Thompson took Ireland to 164-7, clinching his side a three wicket win.
Wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien told The Irish Post before the match that the Irish cricketers had hoped to continue the sporting success that Ireland enjoyed over the weekend, with Davy Russell’s win at Cheltenham and the Irish rugby team's dramatic Six Nations victory.
