Ireland, Zimbabwe progress at T20 World Cup as West Indies head home

HOBART, AFP: Ireland stunned the West Indies to power into the Twenty20 World Cup Super 12 on Friday and send the two-time champions crashing out, with Zimbabwe joining them in the next round after edging past Scotland.

Sri Lanka and the Netherlands had already progressed from the other preliminary group to join the big guns including defending champions Australia, who open their tournament against New Zealand on Saturday.

Disciplined bowling from the Irish restricted the West Indies to 146-5 in Hobart, with Gareth Delany taking a career-best 3-16 before they romped to the target with nine wickets and 15 balls to spare.

Opener Paul Stirling, at his seventh World Cup, ended on an unbeaten 66 while Andy Balbirnie made 37.

It snapped a 13-year drought of failing to make round two, having reached it once previously in 2009.

Zimbabwe are in round two for the first time on their sixth attempt after they beat Scotland by five wickets with skipper Craig Ervine hitting a half-century and Tendai Chatara taking 2-14.

They limited the Scots to 132-6 with tidy bowling before rattling through the run chase with nine balls to spare.

It was a disaster for the West Indies, who won the tournament in 2012 and 2016 but came to Australia with a new-look team after the likes of Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard retired, and Andre Russell was overlooked.

“This is a learning experience for us. We have disappointed our fans and ourselves. It’s definitely hurting,” said West Indies skipper Nicholas Pooran After the West Indies won the toss and batted, the Irish bowlers sent down nine dot balls among their first 15.