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New York, USA – Ireland Men’s hopes of reaching the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Super 8s hang in the balance after a 12-run loss to Canada in New York on Friday.

Chasing 138 to win, Ireland slumped to 59-6 before George Dockrell (30*) and Mark Adair (34) battled their side back into contention with a 62-run stand for the seventh-wicket.

Requiring 17 from the last over, Ireland were unable to reach their target, though, as Jeremy Gordon held his nerve with the ball.

Having lost to World No.1 India at the same venue two days earlier, Ireland now need to win both of their final two matches in Group A to stand any chance of progressing to the knockout stages.

That opening match was dominated by the ball, and Ireland captain Paul Stirling would have been delighted to call right at the toss this time around.

As expected, Stirling put the opposition into bat and it was Adair who made an early inroad by picking up the wicket of Navneet Dhaliwal in just the third over of the match.

Craig Young, brought into the side in place of Ben White, then struck twice in quick succession before Gareth Delany pulled off a superb caught-and-bowled with his very first delivery to leave Canada struggling at 53-4.

An excellent, 75-run fifth-wicket partnership from Nicholas Kirton (49) and Shreyas Movva (37), blunted the Irish attack, however.

That was until Barry McCarthy picked up two wickets in the penultimate over, which went for just two. McCarthy capped off his excellent performance at the death by running-out Movva on the final ball as Canada closed on 137-7 from their 20 overs.

Ireland openers Stirling and Andrew Balbirnie made a steady start in reply but their departures for nine and 17, respectively, were soon followed by the dismissal of Harry Tector for seven.

At 41-3, Ireland found themselves in a similar predicament to Canada after their own top-order struggles first up and things got worse when Lorcan Tucker was run-out with the score 50-4 at the midway point of the run chase.

They got even worse three balls later, Curtis Campher superbly caught in the deep by Aaron Johnson before Delany was caught behind.

That wicket paired Dockrell and Adair, who found their groove, and the boundary, to take Ireland into the final over still in the game.

After a Jeremy Gordon dot ball first up, Adair then fell for 34 next ball and there was no coming back from there as Canada picked up their first ever World Cup win.

Ireland now head to Florida, where they play their final two fixtures in Group A against co-hosts USA on Friday, 14 June and Pakistan two days later. Both games take place at Central Broward Park.

MATCH SUMMARY

Ireland v Canada, Match 2, 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York — 7 June 2024

Canada innings 137-7 (20 overs; N Kirton 49, S Movva 37; B McCarthy 2-24, C Young 2-32) 
Ireland innings 125-7 (20 overs; M Adair 34, G Dockrell 30*; J Gordon 2-16, D Heyliger 2-18,) 

Canada won by 12-runs

See full scorecard