Ireland cricket: Ireland women beat Pakistan in second T20 to win series

Jane Maguire hit a six from the last ball as Ireland beat Pakistan to clinch the three-match T20 international series with a four-wicket victory at Clontarf Cricket Club in Dublin.

The hosts claimed an 11-run win in the first game on Wednesday and brought that momentum into their second game as they wrapped up the series with a game to spare in remarkable fashion.

Ireland are now on course to match their impressive 3-0 T20 series win against Zimbabwe last month as they extended their winning streak in this format to nine games.

Lloyd Tennant’s side will face Pakistan in the final game of the series at the same venue on Sunday at 16:00 BST.

Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first, with Shawaal Zulfiqar (27 runs) and Muneeba Ali (33 runs), falling in consecutive overs after being bowled out by Lara McBride and Cara Murray.

McBride and Murray both took second wickets from Eyman Fatima and Natalia Pervaiz after their partnership of 54, as Pakistan eventually set a target of 168 at the break.

Ireland struggled in the early stages of their batting, with Amy Hunter run out for just six.

Captain Gaby Lewis and Leah Paul were both dismissed in the fifth over, before Orla Prendergast steadied the ship.

She ended as Ireland’s top scorer with 51, including two sixes before she was taken out by Rameen Shamim.

Laura Delany with 42 runs and Rebecca Stokell with 34 helped to push Ireland closer to the target, but the defining moment came in the final over.

Maguire produced the goods for Tennant’s side, hitting a six down the ground from the first delivery she faced to give Ireland a dramatic victory.