West Indies go through at Ireland’s expense

West Indies became the first team in ICC World Twenty20 history to advance beyond the league phase without registering a win when its final Group B clash, against Ireland, was abandoned on Monday (24 September) night.   

West Indies and Ireland, who had both lost to Australia in their opening matches, finished on one point apiece, but West Indies went through on better run rate. West Indies finished on a net run rate of -1.854 to Ireland’s -2.092 to secure its Super Eights place. It will now travel to Pallekele to take on England, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, the host nation, in its bid to qualify for the semi-final. Interestingly enough, rain had prevented West Indies’ first match too from running its full course, as Australia emerged winner by 17 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method.   

Ireland, which needed nothing less than a victory to move into the next stage, had found its way to 129 for 6 in what was to have been a 19-overs-a-side match after a rain interruption five overs into the Irish innings.   

Play began on schedule but 54 minutes were lost due to that first stoppage, forcing a reduction in the number of overs. It started to rain again during the ten-minute break between innings and West Indies couldn’t come out for the chase, even though it had to bat only five overs for the game to be considered complete.

Ireland scored 129 for loss of six wickets when rain came down yet again at the 19th over.