New Zealand finished a disappointing ICC Women’s World Twenty20 campaign with an eight-wicket win over Ireland.
The Kiwi batters made light work of Ireland’s total of 79/9, with Sophie Devine hitting the joint fastest-fifty in the tournament, matching the mark of 21 balls set by Australia’s Alyssa Healy.
The three sixes Devine hit took the tournament’s tally past 57, setting a record for the most maximums across editions of the ICC Women’s World T20, with five matches still to be played.
Ireland gave two of their players a guard-of-honour, as Clare Shillington and Ciara Metcalfe took the field in the second innings in their final international appearance. Ireland finished last in Group B, still searching for their first win in the tournament history.
Devine (51 off 22 balls) was belligerent at the top of the order, taking 16 runs off Metclafe’s only over of the night to set the tone. Suzie Bates (11 off 12 balls) became the first player to score more than 3,000 T20I runs. Both were dismissed as New Zealand closed in on the target, the White Ferns wrapping up an eight-wicket win in 7.3 overs.
Earlier, Ireland won the toss and batted, showing much improved intent but rarely got value for their shots against a disciplined New Zealand bowling attack. Shillington, 37, combined with the 17-year old Gaby Lewis to stitch together a 19-run partnership for the second wicket, before she was dismissed for 12 off 22 balls, bowled by a ball that kept low.
Lewis continued to show the right approach, shuffling across her crease to work her way into the vacant areas, and struck five boundaries in her knock of 39 off 36 balls, equaling the highest score for Ireland in the ICC Women’s World T20s. In the company of her captain Laura Delany (12 off 22 balls) she put on 39-runs for the fourth wicket, before the team slid to a below-par score.
Delany’s dismissal opened the floodgates, as she became Lea Tahuhu’s second victim. Lewis departed the next over, and Ireland lost their last six wickets for nine runs. They finally finished on 79/9, with off-spinner Leigh Kasperek picking up three wickets.
