Guyana, May 1 (Inditop.com) Hosts West Indies started their World Twenty20 campaign in style with a comprehensive 70-run win over Ireland in a Group D match at the Providence Stadium here Friday.
Darren Sammy was the star of the day, first with his 17-ball 30 that helped the West Indies put up a 138 for nine in 20 overs after stand-in skipper Dwayne Bravo, as Chris Gayle missed the match due to a problem in his glutes, opted to bat first on a slow surface here.
Medium pacers Sammy (3/8) and Ravi Rampaul (3/17) then shared six wickets to bowl out Ireland for 68 runs in just 16.4 overs.
Man of the Match Sammy didn’t allow the fans feel the absence of Gayle and rescued West Indies from a precarious 93 for six. It was 17-year-old left arm spinner George Dockrell, who spoiled the West Indies party with his three for 16.
But some powerful hitting by Sammy helped the West Indies reach a respectable total. Sammy hit two sixes and fours each while Ramnaresh Sarwan scored a valuable 24.
Ireland lost wicket right from the second ball with Rampaul and Sammy wrecking havoc. Kemar Roach struck with his second ball and Ireland could not recover after losing their top three for 11 in 15 balls.
The highest scorer for Ireland was the extra (19) while Alex Cusack (17) was the only batsman to get to double digits.