T20 World Cup: Ireland
skipper Andrew Balbirnie hails 'emotional' win over England
Ireland captain and
player of the match Andrew Balbirnie hailed his side's T20
World Cup win over England in Melbourne as "amazing and
emotional".
His 62 runs helped Ireland post 157 and superb
bowling saw them win by five on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method with England
105-5 when rain stopped play.
The win at the Melbourne Cricket Ground adds
to the famous global Irish victories over the past 15 years.
"To do this at one of the most amazing
grounds is special," said Balbirnie.
"We've never played a game of cricket here. To come here and play the tournament favourites, with so many big names, and put on a show in front of friends and family and so many people around the world is very satisfying."
The Irish men's series of big wins started at
the 2007 World Cup when they shocked Pakistan at Sabina Park in Jamaica.
Four years later, Kevin O'Brien's fastest World Cup century saw
the Irish complete a stunning run chase as they overcame England in Bengaluru,
India.
Big wins since then have included the 2015
World Cup victory over West Indies in New Zealand and a one-day triumph over
England in Southampton two years ago but while Wednesday's win will be
classified as a shock, even England captain Jos Buttler had to acknowledge that
it was deserved.
"They outplayed us in all three facets of
the game and the better team won," Buttler admitted.
Balbirnie and his team-mates embraced family
and friends and seemingly every Irish supporter in the ground afterwards as the
rain continued to teem down in Melbourne.
Cricket will always remain in a battle to find
a prominent spot on the Irish sporting landscape but Balbirnie and his
team-mates have done their bit once again.
"A few of them [the supporters] have
extended their trip so they've spent a bit of money over the last week. They
are so passionate about the game in Ireland," he said.
"We're continuing to try to make this
game a bigger sport in our country. Days like today will help and hopefully
we've a few more in the future."
With Afghanistan next up on Friday at the MCG,
the Irish have little time to celebrate although a bit of time may be found to
brush up on catching practice after three drops were not punished by England.
Two of them came in a particularly chaotic
George Dockrell over as Harry Brook and Dawid Malan were dropped in successive
balls before Gareth Delany caught Brook in the deep to see the Irish again
wrestle back the initiative.
"We were fortunate it didn't cost
us," admitted Balbirnie.
"It usually does when you are playing a
team like England. It was a mad over that George Dockrell over but we managed
to get the wicket that we needed."
