Ireland and Afghanistan today qualified for next year’s ICC World Twenty20 after winning their respective matches in the Qualifiers.
Ireland downed Hong Kong by 85 runs for its seventh successive victory while Afghanistan defeated Kenya by 34 runs that gave the Asia side its sixth win in seven matches.
Today’s results mean Ireland and Afghanistan have topped their respective groups and, as such, have qualified automatically for the event proper.
This is Ireland’s fourth successive qualification for the World Twenty20 having played in the 2009, 2010 and 2012 tournaments, whereas for Afghanistan, it will be the third time when it will feature in the event after appearing in the West Indies and Sri Lanka editions.
With four places still up for grabs, Hong Kong will now face Nepal and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will square off against the Netherlands on Wednesday with the two winners also qualifying for the Bangladesh event that will be staged from 16 March to 6 April.
At Zayed Cricket Stadium, Paul Stirling was in devastating form when he smashed a 46-ball 77 with five fours and a six as Ireland scored 207 for 4 and then returned figures of 4-0-10-4 to help Ireland collect its 17th consecutive victory in the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier.
Electing to bat first, Stirling and William Porterfield (38) put on 91 runs for the first wicket, while for the fourth wicket Kevin O’Brien (62 off 27 balls with three fours and five sixes) and Gary Wilson (19) added 39 runs for the fourth wicket in almost two overs.
Ireland scored 70 runs off the last five overs, including 24 off the final over in which O’Brien clobbered three sixes and a four off Munir Dar who finished with figures of one for 49.