T20 World Cup, Group A, Lauderhill, Florida

Ireland 106-9 (20 overs): Delany 31 (19); Imad 3-8, Afridi 3-22

Pakistan 111-7 (18.5 overs): Babar 32* (34); McCarthy 3-15

Pakistan won by three wickets

Scorecard. Table

Pakistan held on to claim a nervy three-wicket win over Ireland as disappointing T20 World Cup campaigns for both sides came to an end at Lauderhill.

A low-scoring game was still in the balance going into the 19th over but two big sixes from Shaheen Afridi settled it in Pakistan’s favour with seven balls to spare.

Babar Azam’s side got off to a brilliant start, with Afridi taking two wickets in the first over before Ireland slipped to 4-3 in the second.

None of the top five reached double figures but counter-attacking knocks from Gareth Delany, who hit 31 off 19 balls, and Josh Little, who made 22 not out, got Ireland up to 106-9.

Pakistan appeared to be cruising in the chase but lost four wickets for 10 runs to slump to 62-6 after 11 overs.

Babar remained, though, and, while never close to his fluent best, he managed to hold the innings together with a patient unbeaten 32.

Despite a battling effort in Florida, particularly with the ball as Barry McCarthy took 3-15, Ireland finish bottom of Group A without a win.

This was the last match of the tournament to be held in the USA, with the remainder of the competition being played in the Caribbean.

After such a frustrating couple of weeks, it looked like Pakistan would bow out in style as their fast bowlers tore through the Ireland top order.

Afridi castled Andy Balbirnie for a duck with a trademark in-swinging yorker third ball and then had Lorcan Tucker caught behind two balls later.

Mohammad Amir removed Paul Stirling and, after Pakistan quickly burnt both reviews, Afridi trapped Harry Tector lbw to end a frenetic first three overs.

While Ireland continued to struggle for much of the innings, it was that early collapse that ultimately cost them.

They can be satisfied with their efforts to claw things back in the field but neither side will be happy as they exit the tournament.

Pakistan, who finished runners-up in 2022, had high hopes of competing for the trophy, with good reason when you see the firepower at their disposal.

But they have fallen well short of expectations, as have Ireland, for whom defeat by Canada was a real blow.

Both will now go away and regroup, with their T20 focus now turning towards the next World Cup in Sri Lanka and India, which is less than two years away.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam: “We have a good bunch of players. Let’s go home and see where we’ve lacked, where we’e not good enough.

“Positives are that we had close games but didn’t finish well. We have good players but we have not performed as a team.”

Ireland captain Paul Stirling: “We didn’t start the day terribly well and they put pressure on us early on. That was the difference in the end.

“With the ball you can throw the towel in and lose by eight wickets but we didn’t. I’m proud of the fight we showed.”