Ireland v West Indies: Visitors beat Ireland to win T20 series

West Indies secured a 1-0 series win over Ireland after victory in the third and final T20 at Bready.

The first two games of the three-match series on Thursday and Saturday were abandoned without a ball being bowled due to heavy rain.

Conditions cleared on Sunday to allow the third game to go ahead, with Ireland winning the toss and opting to bowl first.

West Indies set a chase of 256, their second-highest T20 score, after some superb batting.

Ireland failed to get close to with Akeal Hosein claiming three-wickets as the visitors won by 62 runs.

West Indies started well and registered 122 runs after 10.3 overs without Ireland taking a wicket, through the partnership of Evin Lewis and Shai Hope.

Barry McCarthy eventually got the breakthrough for the hosts by removing Shai Hope for 51.

Two more wickets in the 12th over followed as Rovman Powell (2) and Lewis (91) were both dismissed by Matthew Humphreys.

Shimron Hetmyer (15) was then removed by Ben White whilst Jason Holder (18) was taken out by Mark Adair, but West Indies ended their innings on a strong 256-5 as Keacy Carty managed an unbeaten 49 from 22 balls.

Ireland got off to a bad batting start as they lost captain Paul Stirling in the second over after just 13 runs.

Ross Adair and Harry Tector steadied the ship with a partnership of 101 in 58 balls, before the latter departed as the hosts lost a second player inside the first 10 overs.

Adair and Lorcan Tucker were taken out by Hosein in the 11th over and the wickets continued to tumble which only hampered Ireland’s hopes as George Dockrell, Tim Tector and Barry McCarthy were all gone by the 16th over.

With the result beyond doubt by that stage, the hosts aimed to reduce the margin of defeat in the last four overs.