Ireland finally ended their long wait for a win in the ICC Women’s World T20, defeating the West Indies by six wickets in Bristol on Saturday to register their first win in the tournament after a 21-match losing streak spanning 12 years.The result not only marked a historic milestone for Ireland, but also had a major impact on the semi-final race. A win would guarantee West Indies a place in the last four. Instead, the defeat provided defending champions New Zealand with a lifeline. The White Ferns can now qualify for the semi-finals if they beat England later on Saturday, while an England win would still send the West Indies through.Ireland’s triumph added to a memorable weekend for the country after the men’s side beat India in a T20I for the first time in Belfast.After restricting West Indies to 128/7, Ireland were chasing the target with 11 balls to spare. Orla Prendergast produced another match-winning performance, anchoring the innings with an excellent 63 off 44 deliveries. Her knock put Ireland firmly in control before she departed with just 21 runs remaining.Rebecca Stokell and Louise Little kept their form throughout the closing stages, the latter sealing a famous victory by slotting the winning boundary over mid-on as Ireland finished on 129/4.Earlier, West Indies struggled to build momentum after being sent in to bat, managing just 128/7 despite several batsmen getting starts. Ireland’s disciplined bowling and incisive fielding ensured that the Caribbean side were never able to gain momentum, leaving them with a below-par total to defend.
