CAN vs IRE T20 World Cup Highlights: Canada beat Ireland by 12 runs for first win in Group A

Junaid Siddiqui to Andy Balbirnie, OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Soft dismissal and all of a sudden, its double whammy for Canada. Junaid Siddiqui tosses this one up nicely on middle and Andy Balbirnie just looks to chip it away on the on side. Balbirnie ends up lobbing it straight back at the bowler who takes a simple catch and Ireland have now lost both their openers.

Junaid Siddiqui to Lorcan Tucker, Gives it a bit more air and floats it full on middle and leg, Lorcan Tucker knocks it through the mid on region and picks up a single.

Jeremy Gordon to Andy Balbirnie, FOUR! A poor delivery to end the Powerplay but Ireland are 31/1 at the end of it. Full again but just angling down leg and Andy Balbirnie flicks it away quite fine and the ball rolls away into the fine leg fence.

Jeremy Gordon to Lorcan Tucker, Off the mark right away! Full and angled in at the stumps, driven away wide of mid on for a quick single.

Lorcan Tucker is in at number 3.

Jeremy Gordon to Paul Stirling, OUT! CAUGHT! Canada do get rewarded for their disciplined bowling and the Irish skipper is put out of his misery. Jeremy Gordon digs this one in short and it is a heavy delivery that is angled in at the body. Paul Stirling is in no position to take it on but still goes for it and ends up skying it off the top edge towards backward square leg. The keeper, Shreyas Movva runs back and snaffles it with ease.

Jeremy Gordon to Paul Stirling, Beaten! On a hard length around off and nipping away, Paul Stirling looks to play at it but the ball beats the outside edge.

Jeremy Gordon to Paul Stirling, Oh, that has gone through quickly! Hits the deck hard and angles it in from around off and middle, Paul Stirling with a wild hoick across the line but is beaten by the pace and bounce. Stirling just can't seem to get away here.

Jeremy Gordon to Andy Balbirnie, Back of a length and outside off, hit away off the back foot and with and angled bat wide of third man for another single.

Junaid Siddiqui to Paul Stirling, Nicely flighted, outside off, Paul Stirling skips down the pitch and backs away before hitting it straight to the man at mid off. Tidy start with the ball from Canada.

Junaid Siddiqui to Andy Balbirnie, Tossed up full on middle stump, driven away down to long on for a run.

Junaid Siddiqui to Andy Balbirnie, Quicker and flatter at the stumps, Andy Balbirnie yet again gets across a bit and just paddles it fine of short fine leg for a couple of runs more.

Junaid Siddiqui to Andy Balbirnie, Pushed through around off stump, a bit quicker as well, Andy Balbirnie stands tall and plays it towards cover.

Junaid Siddiqui to Andy Balbirnie, Floated up full and around off stump, Andy Balbirnie gets inside the line and paddles it down to fine leg for a couple of runs. Half an appeal for a leg bye but it seems there was an inside edge on that one.

Junaid Siddiqui to Andy Balbirnie, Starts off with a fuller one on leg stump, Andy Balbirnie gets inside the line to sweep but hits it straight to short fine leg.

Jeremy Gordon to Paul Stirling, Excellent length, neither full nor short and right at the batter. Paul Stirling looks to get onto the fvront foot but has to adjust and block it out.

Jeremy Gordon to Andy Balbirnie, Back of a length outside off, hit away off the back foot and wide of third man for an easy single.

Jeremy Gordon to Andy Balbirnie, Slightly back of a length and bowled over middle, Andy Balbirnie is early to go on the back foot and present a dead bat at it as the ball catches the higher part of the bat and lobs back onto the deck.

Jeremy Gordon to Andy Balbirnie, Another one that is dragged down around off, Andy Balbirnie waits well and pulls it away to the left of deep square leg for a couple of runs.

Jeremy Gordon to Andy Balbirnie, This is dragged down and pushed well outside off stump, Andy Balbirnie hangs back looking to cut but gets an under edge back to the keeper.

Jeremy Gordon to Paul Stirling, Just short of a good length and over middle, Paul Stirling comes half forward and just bunts it out in front of point for a quick single.

Kaleem Sana to Andy Balbirnie, Beaten! Nagging length outside the off stump and nicely shaping away late, Andy Balbirnie looks to cover drive but the ball whizzes past the outside edge.

Kaleem Sana to Paul Stirling, Good half-stop there! Bowled full and in the slot around off, Paul Stirling clears the front leg and drills it to the right of mid off where the fielder dives across and gets a hand on it. The ball trickles towards the ropes but the fielder manages to get to it and saves a run for his side.

Kaleem Sana to Paul Stirling, Hard length now around off stump, Paul Stirling stays put and punches it square but can't get it past the diving point fielder.

Kaleem Sana to Paul Stirling, Swing and a miss! Floated up full and wide of the off stump, Paul Stirling looks to go hard over the off side but misses it completely. Three dots on the trot now.

Kaleem Sana to Paul Stirling, Banged in a bit shorter and around off stump, Paul Stirling looks to pull off the back foot but mistimes it straight to mid-wicket.

Kaleem Sana to Paul Stirling, A length ball, right on the money as this is bowled in the channel around off, Paul Stirling blocks it solidly towards point.

Jeremy Gordon to Andy Balbirnie, Shorter and wider of the off stump, shaping away and staying a bit low as well, Andy Balbirnie looks to cut but gets a bottom edge that goes down in front of first slip.

Jeremy Gordon to Andy Balbirnie, Back of a length, bending his back a bit more and this is bowled over middle and off, Andy Balbirnie gets right behind the line and blocks it off.

Jeremy Gordon to Paul Stirling, Nice and full, shaping away from outside off stump, Paul Stirling gets on the front foot and eases it off the outer half of the bat down to third man for a run.

Jeremy Gordon to Paul Stirling, Hard length outside off stump and just nipping away, Paul Stirling lets this one through to the keeper.

Jeremy Gordon to Paul Stirling, WIDE! A bit fuller but a lot wider of the off stump and Stirling can't reach it.

Jeremy Gordon to Paul Stirling, Ooh, that extra bounce again! Paul Stirling is quite early to get on the froont foot and Jeremy Gordon just nibbles away on a good length bowling it in the channel and gets it to shoot off the deck. The ball beats the outside edge as well.

Jeremy Gordon to Andy Balbirnie, Begins from over the wicket and goes to the slower delivery straight up. Bowled on a dragged length and on middle and leg, Andy Balbirnie hops back and nudges it to the leg side for one.

Jeremy Gordon to operate from the other end.

Kaleem Sana to Paul Stirling, FOUR! Too full and too wide outside the off stump, Paul Stirling reaches out and thrashes the ball away square past point for the first boundary of the chase and the Irish skipper is off the mark in style.

Kaleem Sana to Paul Stirling, Not all that full and wide of the off stump, Paul Stirling reaches out and taps the ball straight to the man at forward point.

Kaleem Sana to Paul Stirling, Comes from around the wicket now and angles it in quite full and at the legs, Paul Stirling plays it with a pretty straight bat and towards mid on.

Kaleem Sana to Andy Balbirnie, Pitched up quite full and around off stump, Andy Balbirnie gets on the front foot and just eases it into the gap around cover-point. The batters do well to come back for the third run.

Kaleem Sana to Andy Balbirnie, WIDE! After such a good delivery comes an absolute howler. Full and wide, almost lands beyond the cut strip and goes toward first slip.

Kaleem Sana to Andy Balbirnie, Oh, that is a jaffa! Hits the length hard this time and bowls it over off and middle, the ball just takes off after pitching and leaves Andy Balbirnie bamboozled as the ball zips past the outside edge.

Kaleem Sana to Andy Balbirnie, WIDE! Even wider this time! Length ball, well outside off, looking to swing it back in but it just keeps slanting further away from the right-hander.

Kaleem Sana to Andy Balbirnie, WIDE! On a good length but pushed wide of the off stump and goes even further after pitching.

Kaleem Sana to Andy Balbirnie, Nicely stroked away but straight to the fielder! Starts from over the wicket and bowls it full around off, looking for some swing, Andy Balbirnie gets on the front foot and plays it to cover-point.

Welcome back for the chase. The players and umpires return to the park. Andy Balbirnie and Paul Stirling stride out to open for Ireland. Kaleem Sana has the ball in hand for Canada. Here we go! 

…THE RUN CHASE…

Ireland bowling was tidy and they kept picking wickets at regular intervals before Kirton and Movva came to the crease. Craig Young and Barry McCarthy chipped in with two each while Gareth Delany and Mark Adair snappped one apiece. Right then, Ireland need 138 to get their first win of the tournament and keep thier hopes alive of going further. Can the Irish do it or will be Canadian bowlers spring in a surprise? We shall find out. Join us in a bit for the second essay.

Nicholas Kirton is down for a chat. He says that the pitch was a bit up and down and reckons they have a defendable total on the board. Adds that he feels he could have done a bit more but is happy with the overall team performance. Mentions that they spoke before the innings started about 130-140 being a defendable score and have achieved it. 

A brilliant 75-run fifth wicket stand between Nicholas Kirton and Shreyas Movva has taken their side to a competitive score of 137 for 7 in their 20 overs. Having sent into bat first, Canada were reeling at 53 for 4 when Kirton and Movva joined hands and steadied the innings for their side. Kirton was the aggressor with 35-ball 49 while Shreyas Movva made 37 off 36. The wicket is two paced and slighty tricky. Canada have done well to get this score and the onus will be on their bowlers to defend it. 

Mark Adair to Shreyas Movva, OUT! RUN OUT! A single and a wicket to end the innings! Full and at the stumps. Movva lifts it toward the long-off region and looks to take on the second. The throw comes in from the deep and Movva is short of his crease. Canada finish on 137 for 7.