Southampton, 20 June (H.S.):

Defending champions New Zealand narrowly avoided a major upset in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026, defeating Ireland by just four runs in a thrilling contest late on Friday to register their first victory of the tournament. Entering the match under pressure after suffering back-to-back defeats, New Zealand battled until the very end to claim two crucial points and keep their campaign alive.

Chasing a target of 141, Ireland did not enjoy the ideal start, but captain Gaby Lewis and Orla Prendergast produced a superb fightback that nearly snatched victory from New Zealand. The pair shared a magnificent 110-run partnership for the second wicket off 95 deliveries, taking Ireland to the brink of a memorable win.

Prendergast delivered an outstanding all-round performance, claiming two wickets before scoring a composed 59 off 53 balls. Captain Gaby Lewis also played a brilliant innings, making 58 from 53 deliveries.

At one stage, Ireland required just 34 runs from the final four overs with nine wickets in hand. However, New Zealand staged a dramatic comeback through disciplined bowling from Jess Kerr and captain Amelia Kerr. Amelia turned the match on its head by dismissing two batters in the 18th over.

Ireland needed 15 runs from the final over, and Amelia entrusted the ball to the experienced Suzie Bates. The veteran held her nerve brilliantly, denying the batters any significant boundaries. Ireland needed six runs off the final delivery but fell short, finishing just four runs away from victory.

Earlier, New Zealand endured a disastrous start after losing three wickets for just 10 runs. Orla Prendergast and Cara Murray struck early to put the defending champions under severe pressure. However, Brooke Halliday and Izzy Sharp steadied the innings with valuable contributions to guide New Zealand to a competitive total.

Izzy Sharp top-scored with 36 runs from 28 balls, while Brooke Halliday added an important 34. New Zealand accelerated in the closing overs to post a challenging target.

Brief Scores:

New Zealand: 140/6 in 20 overs

Izzy Sharp 36 (28), Brooke Halliday 34

Orla Prendergast 2/26, Cara Murray 2/26

Ireland: 136/4 in 20 overs

Orla Prendergast 59 (53), Gaby Lewis 58 (53)

Amelia Kerr 2/23

Result: New Zealand won by four runs.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar