Dubai: Ireland booked the second slot in the ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka through an emphatic nine-wicket victory over Namibia at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
It is Ireland's second successive entry into the World Twenty20 and they did it in style despite losing the toss.
Through a tight bowling spell led by Max Sorensen, who gave away just eight runs from this four overs to take two wickets, Ireland restricted Namibia to 94 for 6. Chasing the target, Ireland won the match in 10.1 overs with opener Paul Stirling cracking an unbeaten 59 off just 32 balls with nine boundaries and a six.
Ireland also qualified for the final to take on Afghanistan in a late night match.
It was indeed sweet revenge for Ireland, who had lost to Namibia by four runs in the early round.
Namibia won the toss and elected to bat. Thirty-seven-year-old Trent Johnston bowled an immaculate line and length from the start. He trapped Raymond van Schoor, who is the second highest run getter of the tournament, leg before for 1.
Louis van der Westhuizen hit Johnston over extra cover for a well timed six but fell to the very next ball offering an easy catch to Andrew White at mid wicket for 14. With both the openers back in the pavilion for 19 runs in 4.3 overs, Ireland struck again by having Craig Williams brilliant caught by skipper William Porterfied at extra cover for 3 off Max Sorensen.
Gerrie Snyman and skipper Sarel Burger took the score to 50 but Boyd Rankin forced Snyman on 17, going for a pull, top edge to George Dockrell at mid off to take an easy catch.
Nicholaas Scholtz went for a slog sweep off Paul Stirling and offered an easy catch to Ed Joyce at deep for one run. Burger also offered Joyce his second catch at long off Sorensen and all hopes of Namibia reaching even the 100 run mark faded with it. If not for Ian Opperman's fighting unbeaten 26 runs with two sixers and one boundary, Namibia would have been out for even a smaller score.
Ireland openers William Porterfield and Paul Striling provided a breezy start. They put 41 runs in just 4.2 overs when Louis Kalzinga provided the breakthrough by having Porterfield caught by Burger at mid wicket for 20. Stirling raced to his half century in just 26 balls to ensure Ireland's victory with 59 balls to spare.