- England 328; Ireland 329-3
- Stirling and Balbirnie lead Ireland to victory with ball to spare
This was a game to savour – unlike its predecessors. A brilliant run chase , masterminded by Ireland’s captain and vice captain, Andy Balbirnie and Paul Stirling, centurions both, produced a stunning victory by seven wickets with one ball to spare. The target of 329 was one more than was required in the epic Ireland win in Bangalore in the World Cup in 2011. But in some ways this win was more unlikely given the frailty of the Irish batting in the first two games.
Here the senior men, Middlesex mates, came to the fore in a partnership of 214, which sealed the match and tormented England’s captain on the field. After Eoin Morgan had struck a century earlier in the day he was unable to take charge during the Irish innings because of “tightness in the groin”. So Moeen Ali took over, an experience that he may not remember with undiluted joy. On one occasion he yielded a no-ball as there were not enough fielders inside the ring.