Laura Delany smashed three consecutive fours to pull off a thrilling last-over win for Ireland in Sylhet as the Girls in Green claimed a 3-0 clean sweep over Bangladesh in their T20 international series.
The odds were against overhauling the home side’s 123-7 when Arlene Kelly was run out at the start of the final over, with 14 still required from five balls.
Delany survived a difficult chance to long off in scoring two from the next but then dancing down the pitch she drove boundaries straight, through the covers and finally over the unfortunate long off fielder to spark Irish celebrations.
“I’m pretty delighted with how that last over went,” the former skipper said, modestly.
“My plan was just to get bat on ball. To use my feet against the leggies and hit as straight as possible.
“But I’m more delighted for the team. We played some really good cricket in this T20 series and to finish it off with a win just shows everyone what we’re capable of.
“It’s brilliant to back around the girls. I was injured there for a bit but it’s an amazing team to be part of and I’m so delighted to be back out on the pitch wearing the green shirt.”
The Ireland bowlers and fielders had fought back superbly in the latter stages of the Bangladesh innings to the extent that a solid platform of 100-1 after 13 overs only produced another 23 runs, without a boundary scored from the final 52 balls.
Spinner Aimee Maguire broke the second-wicket partnership of 71, thanks to a neat stumping by Christina Coulter-Reilly, and also removed top scorer Sobhana Mostary for 45, as she returned a tidy 2-25 from four overs.
Coulter-Reilly held two catches off Orla Prendergast, who finished with 4-22, taking her tally for the three games to 10 wickets, which would probably been enough to win her Player of the Series without her top-order runs.
Gaby Lewis and Amy Hunter put Ireland course for victory with an opening stand of 55 but a mini collapse to 70-4 left the stage open for Delany to conjure the four-wicket win with a ball to spare.
“Laura was absolutely brilliant,” new skipper Lewis said. “She’s one of the most competitive players in the team and someone you always want in your XI. There’s no-one else I’d rather want in that situation to get us over the line.
“We’re very happy, especially after a disappointing ODI series. To bounce back was brilliant. In every game someone else put their hand up which was just what you want in a team.”