Kirton scores 49 as Canada earns first win at cricket’s T20 World Cup by beating Ireland

WESTBURY, N.Y. (AP) — Nicholas Kirton scored 49 off 35 balls to help Canada earn its first win in the T20 World Cup by beating Ireland by 12 runs on Friday in Group A.

Kirton helped Canada score 137-7 in 20 overs after it was put into bat. Shreyas Movva also contributed 37 runs.

In reply, Ireland was restricted to 125-7 with medium pacers Jeremy Gordon and Dillon Heyliger taking two wickets each.

Canada is competing at the T20 World Cup for the first time, and lost its opening game to the United States.

“It was a good wicket to bat on, except a couple of patches in the middle,” Kirton said. “It was important to get set and bounce back from defeat in the first game. Our spinners bowled very well and got purchase from the wicket.”

Opting to bowl, Ireland kept things tight in the powerplay and Canada was down to 53-4 in 8.1 overs before Kirton played a rescuing hand.

Kirton hit three fours and two sixes, following on from the 51 he scored against the U.S. in the first game. He put on 75 off 63 balls with Movva for the fifth wicket – a partnership that turned the game for Canada.

For Ireland, medium pacers Craig Young (2-32) and Barry McCarthy (2-24) took two wickets each.

At the start of their chase, the Irish could only manage a single boundary in the first six overs and reached 31-1 at the end of the powerplay.

Openers Andrew Balbirnie (17) and Paul Stirling (9) fell cheaply and Canada then deployed spin, which further squeezed Ireland’s scoring.

Heylinger used his medium pace to great effect during the middle overs, partnering with Gordon to bowl eight overs for 4-34.

George Dockrell scored 30 not out off 23 balls, and found aid from Mark Adair, who top scored with 34 off 24 balls.

But that wasn’t enough to prevent Canada from defending the third lowest target set by an associate side in T20 World Cups.