Ireland's T20 World Cup campaign got off to a disappointing start as they fell short against co-hosts Sri Lanka, losing by 20 runs in the Group B opener.
Captain Paul Stirling admitted that his side lacked the clinical edge required to clinch the match, particularly during crucial phases of play. Ireland dropped five catches and conceded late runs, allowing Sri Lanka to post a total of 163-6.
The Irish team had appeared on track at 105-2, but they collapsed to 143 all out, as Stirling pointed out that they had been given 15-20 runs too many by the Sri Lankan batsmen. He also acknowledged that his team had been less clinical in their fielding, which was a letdown for him.
Experience told Stirling that it was the Sri Lankan team's ability to defend well at the back end of the match and put pressure on Ireland, ultimately resulting in them coming up 20 runs short.
With Australia looming as their next opponents on Wednesday, Ireland will be eager to bounce back from this loss and secure a top-two finish to make it to the Super 8s. Stirling believes that spin could prove to be a challenge in the tournament, citing that it wasn't always coming onto the bat as much as it should have been.
This setback serves as a wake-up call for Ireland ahead of their next match against Australia, where they will need to harness their experience and improve their performance if they want to overcome this hurdle.
Captain Paul Stirling admitted that his side lacked the clinical edge required to clinch the match, particularly during crucial phases of play. Ireland dropped five catches and conceded late runs, allowing Sri Lanka to post a total of 163-6.
The Irish team had appeared on track at 105-2, but they collapsed to 143 all out, as Stirling pointed out that they had been given 15-20 runs too many by the Sri Lankan batsmen. He also acknowledged that his team had been less clinical in their fielding, which was a letdown for him.
Experience told Stirling that it was the Sri Lankan team's ability to defend well at the back end of the match and put pressure on Ireland, ultimately resulting in them coming up 20 runs short.
With Australia looming as their next opponents on Wednesday, Ireland will be eager to bounce back from this loss and secure a top-two finish to make it to the Super 8s. Stirling believes that spin could prove to be a challenge in the tournament, citing that it wasn't always coming onto the bat as much as it should have been.
This setback serves as a wake-up call for Ireland ahead of their next match against Australia, where they will need to harness their experience and improve their performance if they want to overcome this hurdle.
they had such a good chance of winning that match but just didn't take it 
captain stirling is being super honest about the team's weaknesses tho 
it's cool that he's owning up to the fact that they got bowled out by sri lanka for like 143 runs 
i think they need to work on their fielding skills ASAP 
and maybe experiment with different spin strategies? 
they had everything going right at first but just fell apart, all those dropped catches must've been soul crushing for them 
. And another thing, Ireland needs to stop whining about spin - they've been getting smashed by spinners all tournament already! Just step up your game and face the challenge head-on 
seriously though, 20 runs short is a big ask for Ireland, especially when it comes down to fielding. I mean, who needs that many extras? 
captain Paul Stirling said they got given away 15-20 runs too many - guess Sri Lanka's batsmen were like the ultimate negotiators! 
on the bright side, Ireland can bounce back and show Australia who's boss... fingers crossed for them to make it to the Super 8s! 
. Sri Lanka's spinners were always coming back strong & that was a big challenge for Stirling's team 
. They should've taken those extra runs from the batsmen earlier 
. Australia is gonna be tough opponents, but they can't let this loss define them 
... Time to show what they're made of 
its a bummer cuz aussiez r up next 
& irish need 2 step up their game ASAP 
i do hope spin dont become a major problm 4 dem 