Emerging Ireland secured a four-wicket win over the West Indies Academy to complete a 3-0 sweep of their 50-over series in Bready on Friday.
The tourists, after being out in to bat, were guilty of not using up their allotted overs as they were dismissed for 236 with all of seven overs to spare.
Ackeem Auguste led the way with a 68-ball 81 including 10 fours and two sixes while Joshua James hit 26* off 25 balls.
Skipper Gavin Hoey led the Irish charge with his leg-spin with 4-45 from his 10 overs while medium pacer Olly Riley took 3-38 from nine overs.
Emerging Ireland then needed only 39 overs to reach 238-6 and secure victory and a 3-0 series triumph.
Morgan Topping led the way for the hosts with 46 while Seamus Lynch hit 45* off just 28 balls including six fours and two sixes.
Chris de Freitas and Scott MacBeth also had solid contributions with 38 and 36, respectively.
Captain Nyeem Young took 3-56 from nine overs for the Academy.
The teams will now turn their attention to a pair of four-day games from June 18-21 in Comber and June 25-28 in Belfast.
The United States have qualified for the Super 8s after their T20 World Cup match with Ireland in Florida was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
Only an Ireland victory over tournament co-hosts USA could have prevented the Americans' progress to the next round, but no play was possible on Friday amid a flash-flood emergency in the region.
There were multiple pitch inspections, but the umpires ultimately concluded no play was possible due to the wet outfield.
USA secured a win over Canada in the opening match of the tournament before pulling off an almighty upset to beat Pakistan, who are now eliminated because of the washout, as are Canada.
The outcome also means Ireland are out, although their hopes had already looked slim after losses to India and Canada.
India are expected to finish top of Group A, having beaten USA in their last match to secure a third successive victory.
Rohit Sharma's side will do battle with Australia, Afghanistan and a team from Group D – most likely to be Bangladesh – in the next round, though they still have one more pool match to play against Canada on Saturday.
USA are poised to enter Group 2 of the Super 8s along with fellow hosts West Indies and South Africa. The final spot in that section will be filled by either England or Scotland, depending on who progresses from Group B.
As a result of reaching the Super 8s in this competition, Monank Patel's USA team are also now guaranteed qualification to the 2026 T20 World Cup, which will be held in India and Sri Lanka.
As the group stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 comes to a close, the action will move to the next chapter in the event, the Super Eights, which will see eight remaining teams battle it out for four semi-final spots.
India (Group A), Australia (Group B), Afghanistan (Group C), West Indies (Group C), and South Africa (Group D) are the five teams who have qualified for the second round thus far.
India, Australia, and Afghanistan will feature in Group 1 of the next round, whereas West Indies and South Africa will feature in Group 2.
All of these sides have been unbeaten in their respective groups, and are shaping well ahead of the next round.
The second round commences in Antigua on June 19.
The following day will see the unbeaten India and Afghanistan face-off in Barbados in what looms as a crucial fixture prior to the knockout stages of the tournament. This will also be the first occasion on this tournament that India will play a contest in the Caribbean.
The rampant Afghans will look to make amends for their close loss to Australia at last year's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup when the two sides meet on June 22 in St Vincent. Back-to-back games against formidable opponents can overwhelm most sides but Rashid Khan’s team have shown an indomitable fighting spirit in the tournament thus far.
More crucial fixtures follow up in coming dates: with co-hosts West Indies taking on South Africa in their final Group 2 clash on June 23 in Antigua.
The Proteas have historically dominated the West Indies, but the tables were turned last month when the Men in Maroon swept the three-game T20I series between the two sides at home.
Another Men’s Cricket World Cup-centric encounter takes place in St Lucia, where finalists India will clash against the eventual winners Australia on June 24.
Antigua, Barbados, St Lucia, and St Vincent will host all 12 games in this round.
Fixtures
19 June: A2 v South Africa, North Sound, Antigua
19 June: B1 v West Indies, Gros Islet, St Lucia
20 June: Afghanistan v India, Bridgetown, Barbados
20 June: Australia v D2, North Sound, Antigua
21 June: B1 v South Africa, Gros Islet, St Lucia
21 June: A2 v West Indies, Bridgetown, Barbados
22 June: India v D2, North Sound, Antigua
22 June: Afghanistan v Australia, Arnos Vale, St Vincent
23 June: A2 v B1, Bridgetown, Barbados
23 June: West Indies v South Africa, North Sound, Antigua
24 June: Australia v India, Gros Islet, St Lucia
24 June: Afghanistan v D2, Arnos Vale, St Vincent
Jos Buttler saluted England's performance in their must-win game against Oman, but acknowledged "we are still in the same position" at the T20 World Cup.
After their opening match against Scotland was rained off, defeat by Australia left the reigning champions requiring victories from their final two Group B outings - and a boosted net run-rate to keep their title defence alive.
Buttler's side were on a mission against Oman, who they dismissed for just 47 with 101 balls remaining - setting a new World Cup record in the process - before taking just 19 balls to successfully chase down that target.
England must now beat Namibia in their final group game on Saturday - while hoping Australia beat Scotland the following day - to book their place in the Super 8s.
"It was a really good performance," Buttler said. "We have had some really good training sessions and spoke about how we need to stay true to ourselves, and trust we have got really good players.
"We spoke about needing to win two games of cricket and, if we had the chance to affect the net run-rate, that would be important.
"The tone was set really well by the bowlers, and they managed to pick up those early wickets, restrict them, and knock them off.
"We told [the batters] then to be ultra-positive. We spoke in the lead-up to this. We have to win games and if we get a chance, we have to take advantage with the net run-rate.
"We have lots of confidence in our team, and we have another big game to come. We are still in the same position. We still have a must-win game on Saturday."
Afghanistan booked their place in the T20 World Cup Super 8s with a seven-wicket victory over Papua New Guinea, while eliminating New Zealand from the competition.
Rashid Khan's side claimed a third successive win to maintain their perfect start in Group C, which they top ahead of co-hosts West Indies with a superior net run-rate.
Afghanistan chose to bowl and made a fast start in San Fernando, dismissing captain Assad Vala, Lega Siaka and Sese Bau within four balls to leave the Barramundis at 12-3 early in the third over.
Wicketkeeper Kiplin Doriga top-scored with 27, before they were bowled out for 95.
Their opponents were also steady out of the blocks, having been reduced to 22-2 inside the third over.
However, Gulbadin Naib's unbeaten 49 from 36 balls - featuring four fours and two sixes - steadied the ship, while his unbroken stand of 46 with Mohammed Nabi helped get Afghanistan comfortably over the line.
Data Debrief: Farooqi leads the charge to condemn Black Caps to early exit
Fazalhaq Farooqi (3-16) led from Afghanistan's field again, with the tournament's leading wicket taker increasing his tally to 12 from three innings.
The side note to their victory was the sealing of New Zealand's fate with a match to spare.
Runners-up in 2021 and semi-finalists in the last three tournaments, it is the first time the Black Caps have failed to advance beyond the first group stage at the T20 World Cup.
England got their much-needed win in stunning fashion as they raced to an eight-wicket victory over Oman inside four overs.
After a washout stopped their first game against Scotland, England lost to Australia and knew that a defeat on Thursday would see them knocked out of the World Cup.
Oman just could not get a foothold with only Shoaib Khan able to reach double figures with 11 as England put in a stellar bowling performance.
Adil Rashid was the standout with his 4-11, but Jofra Archer (3-12) and Mark Wood (3-12) helped to cap the performance as Oman were all out for 47 after 13.2 overs.
With a target of 48, England came out to bat on a mission, with Phil Salt hitting two sixes on the first two balls before being caught.
In the end, it would only take them 19 balls to hit their target, with captain Jos Buttler getting an impressive 24 off eight balls, though it was Jonny Bairstow who got the important four to take them to 50-2.
Data Debrief: England came out on a mission, and smashed it
Oman's tally of just 47 is the fourth-lowest total a team has managed in a T20 World Cup match, while it also proved to be England's best bowling performance in the competition.
With 101 balls remaining following England's successful chase, they set a new World Cup record.
England got their much-needed win in stunning fashion as they raced to an eight-wicket victory over Oman inside four overs.
After a washout stopped their first game against Scotland, England lost to Australia and knew that a defeat on Thursday would see them knocked out of the World Cup.
Oman just could not get a foothold with only Shoaib Khan able to reach double figures with 11 as England put in a stellar bowling performance.
Adil Rashid was the standout with his 4-11, but Jofra Archer (3-12) and Mark Wood (3-12) helped to cap the performance as Oman were all out for 47 after 13.2 overs.
With a target of 48, England came out to bat on a mission, with Phil Salt hitting two sixes on the first two balls before being caught.
In the end, it would only take them 19 balls to hit their target, with captain Jos Buttler getting an impressive 24 off eight balls, though it was Jonny Bairstow who got the important four to take them to 50-2.
Data Debrief: England came out on a mission, and smashed it
Oman's tally of just 47 is the fourth-lowest total a team has managed in a T20 World Cup match, while it also proved to be England's best bowling performance in the competition.
With 101 balls remaining following England's successful chase, they set a new World Cup record.
Bangladesh keep their T20 World Cup fate in their own hands after a 25-run victory over the Netherlands in St Vincent on Thursday.
Not only do Bangladesh take one step closer to the Super 8s with their emphatic victory, but they also ensure Sri Lanka are knocked out, while the Netherlands need a string of results to go in their favour.
The Tigers looked to be up against it after the Netherlands' strong start, as Liton Das made an early exit for just one run thanks to Sybrand Engelbrecht's diving catch.
However, Tanzid Hassan hit 35 off 26 balls, while Shakib Al Hasan plundered an impressive 64 not out, effectively taking control of the game.
Mahmudullah's 25 just about saw them over the line before Jaker Ali closed with 14 not out to see them to 159-5.
The Netherlands soon found their stride after losing two early wickets of their own and looked to be comfortably chasing down their target through Vikramjit Singh (26) and Engelbrecht (33).
Rishad Hossain soon intervened for Bangladesh though, finishing on 3-33 as the Flying Dutchmen lost four middle-order wickets for six runs and finished with 134-8.
Data Debrief: Bangladesh just too strong
Bangladesh narrowly missed out on a win against high-flying South Africa in their last game, but a win like this is exactly what they needed to get back on track.
Al Hasen was the standout, making a marked improvement on his three runs from the defeat to South Africa with a superb knock of 64 off 46 balls, including nine fours.
West Indies batsman Sherfane Rutherford rates his well-compiled half century against New Zealand at the ICC T20 World Cup on Wednesday as his best knock.
The 25-year-old came to the crease with the hosts teetering at 22-4 in the sixth over after bring put in to bat at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba.
On a pitch that he described as “tacky” and “spongy” in the post-match press conference, Rutherford took his time in the early part of his innings before accelerating to a top score of 68* to help the West Indies post a match-winning 149-9 from their allotted 20 overs.
Rutherford described the innings as perhaps the best of his career, so far.
“I will put it as my best knock. It’s a World Cup. This is my dream. I’ve always wanted to play in a World Cup and this one is going to stay close to my heart. Hopefully, I can continue to take out good innings like this for my team and for myself,” he said.
At the halfway point of the innings, the West Indies were 49-5 and Rutherford says head coach Daren Sammy’s advice was to bat time and take it deep.
“He was just telling me to take it deep. I was batting with Akeal (Hosein) so I told him to keep going but my role was to basically take it to the 15th or 16th over but after we lost wickets I just told myself to try and take it to the 20th over and try and maximize those last two overs which they had to make up with two bowlers,” he said.
The Guyanese hard-hitter was recently a part of the Indian Premier League with the Kolkata Knight Riders and, despite not getting a game, he says he has been using that time to prepare for situations like the one he faced on Wednesday.
“I pattern my game off these situations. Even before the World Cup, I try to put myself in positions in the nets where I have to bat properly and then have to excel in the end so I think it’s good to see that my plans and my work are coming to show,” he said.
He faced a similar situation when the West Indies found themselves 79-5 batting first in the third T20I against Australia in Perth in February.
Rutherford and Andre Russell put on 139 for the sixth wicket with Rutherford finishing 67* off 40 balls.
He says the main thing he took from that innings was the importance of giving himself time at the crease.
“The innings in Australia is one that I kept close to me and, even though it was a good innings, I try to pick a few things out of it. One of the few things was give myself time. It’s always a process and when you look too far ahead you can forget about the process so, for me, it was just ball after ball, give myself time, run singles and get myself ready so that in the back end I can make up,” he said.
Finally, Rutherford made mention of the crowd at the Brian Lara Stadium.
“When batting I try not to worry about the crowd. I just try to look at what’s in front of me and focus on the process but it’s good to have some support. It’s good to have the home crowd with us and hopefully they can keep supporting us,” he said.
The West Indies will next take on Afghanistan at the Daren Sammy Stadium on June 17.
West Indies’ spinner Gudakesh Motie has become just the second player from his side to secure an ICC Men’s Player of the Month award.
2024 is turning out to be a fairly rewarding year for West Indies players.
In January, young star Shamar Joseph won the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for his sensational performance that led to the unforgettable victory over Australia at the Gabba. Now, teammate Motie has secured the Player of the Month award for May 2024.
The left-arm spinner beat out competition from Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi and Ireland’s Lorcan Tucker to win the award.
Motie, who continues to shine during the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, had a host of brilliant outings during May.
He enjoyed plenty of success in the three-match home series against South Africa, picking up eight wickets across three matches at an average of 8.50.
On the back of his performance, the hosts sealed a statement 3-0 victory in Jamaica.
Motie picked up 3/25 in the opening contest to restrict the tourists’ chase and he backed that performance up with another impressive spell of three for 22 to stifle the middle-order in the second fixture as well.
Another two wickets in the final match turned the tide in favour of the hosts once more and allowed the 29-year-old to claim the Player of the Series accolade.
In the ongoing Men’s T20 World Cup, Motie has shown fine form and picked five wickets at an average of 11.
Motie was excited to accept the award and is hoping he can continue his excellent recent form and help the West Indies succeed at the T20 World Cup.
“It means a lot to me and I am very happy to win this award. It’s very encouraging, I have put in a lot of work during this season and I am happy that I am seeing the rewards now," Motie said.
“The standout performance for me during the series against South Africa was the first game, where I took three for 25. The third wicket that night was my favourite.
“Playing in a World Cup means a lot to me, and playing at home in front of our fans and knowing the conditions is also special. We have started strongly, playing three games and getting three wins, and I see us going all the way and lifting that cup on 29 June.”
Captains Kane Williamson and Rovman Powell were in agreement that Sherfane Rutherford was the difference in West Indies' 13-run victory over New Zealand.
Rutherford hit an unbeaten 68 off 39 balls for the co-hosts as the Windies secured a 13-run victory over their opponents to reach the Super-8 stage at the T20 World Cup.
The 25-year-old came to the crease with West Indies 22-4 inside the powerplay, and responded with a career-best effort that repaired the early damage, including hitting 37 runs from the final two overs to secure the win.
"We told the guys that somebody has to play a blinder," Powell said after the match. "It wasn't going to be an easy wicket because of the inclement weather.
"We always believe that individual brilliance in T20 cricket is needed some time and Sherfane's innings was a fantastic knock. It gave us confidence and at the halfway mark, we believed [we could win]."
The result sees New Zealand on the brink of elimination from the tournament following their 84-run defeat to Afghanistan in their opening group fixture, with Williamson admitting his side were beaten by a beautifully timed innings by Rutherford.
"The margins in the match are fine and in conditions like that, two or three balls where the match-up suits, that can be the difference," Williamson said at his post-match press conference.
"We saw a fantastic knock from Rutherford and he certainly timed it beautifully and got his match-up. I think at the end of the day, that was the difference."
Sherfane Rutherford hit an unbeaten 68 – including a staggering 37 from the final two overs – as West Indies reached the Super-8 stage at the T20 World Cup with a 13-run victory over New Zealand.
The co-hosts looked to be on course for their first defeat of the tournament when they slipped to 22-4, Trent Boult finishing with a team-best 3-16 for the Black Caps.
Rutherford had little support and initially made slow progress, only to dial it up in the dying stages, smashing three maximums off Daryl Mitchell in the 19th over then hitting two fours and another six off Mitchell Santner in the 20th.
New Zealand's chase never really got going as their middle order collapsed, Windies paceman Alzarri Joseph finishing with figures of 4-19 and Gudakesh Motie going 3-25.
Joseph's delivery saw Glenn Phillips caught by Rovman Powell at long on for the innings' crucial wicket, the all-rounder hitting 40 off 33 balls as none of his team-mates managed above 26.
While West Indies retain a perfect record at the top of Group C, New Zealand are on the brink of an early exit. They must win their remaining matches against Uganda and Papua New Guinea and hope other results go their way to advance.
Data Debrief: Rutherford's rescue act
When West Indies found themselves teetering in Trinidad and Tobago, Rutherford bailed them out.
His 68 runs at number six represents the second-best score ever recorded by a batter coming in at six or lower at the T20 World Cup, after Cameron White managed 85 versus Sri Lanka in 2010.
Joe Root has no doubts over Jos Buttler's England captaincy, backing the white-ball skipper to continue despite T20 World Cup struggles.
Matthew Mott's side are on the brink of an early elimination this month, with their 20-over title defence seemingly crumbling without escaping the group stage.
England struggled before rain washed out their opener with Scotland, who are the favourites to progress after Australia overcame Buttler's side on Saturday.
The defending champions must beat Oman and Namibia, while needing Australia to overcome Scotland by a less-than-narrow margin to have any hopes of going through on net run-rate.
That has brought questions over Buttler's tenure as England captain, though Root placed his backing in the 33-year-old, a former international team-mate and good friend of his.
"Jos is one of my good friends," the England Test star said. "I think he's a brilliant captain, so I don't think there's any question.
"I think they'll be absolutely fine, they've got a wonderful squad of players. They know exactly what they need to do.
"When it's all laid out and they've got their backs to the wall, which they have in this situation now, is when they play their best cricket.
"It could really bring the best out of them, so I've got no worries whatsoever.
"If they go out and do what they all know that they're capable of doing, we'll be finding ourselves in the Super 8s and the back-end of the tournament where it really matters to play our best stuff."
England face Oman on Thursday before meeting Namibia on Saturday, when Scotland go against Australia later in the day, boasting the advantage of knowing what result is required to progress.
That is on the minds of Australian players, too, with bowler Josh Hazlewood weighing up the options of helping send England out of the competition.
England coach Mott hopes the Australia quick's comments were in jest, though matters could be out of his side's hands come the weekend in the United States and West Indies.
Rohit Sharma was left with an overwhelming sense of relief after India staved off a spirited United States to reach the Super 8s at the T20 World Cup.
Rahul Dravid's white-ball side progressed through the group stages with a game to spare after Wednesday's seven-wicket victory over the co-hosts in New York.
Having already overcome struggling Ireland and fierce rivals Pakistan, a third straight win in Group A was enough to send India through as Rohit's team prepare for the latter stages of the tournament.
Suryakumar Yadav's unbeaten half-century proved the difference against the USA, helping his country chase down a 111-run target with 10 balls remaining.
It could have been a different story, however, as India lost Rohit (three) and Virat Kohli to a golden duck in the start to their chase.
That stark warning left a lasting imprint on Rohit's memory as the India captain credited the battling USA showing.
"We knew it was going to be a tough task, scoring that many," Rohit said at his post-match interview. "Credit to us for chasing it down.
"SKY and [Shivam] Dube did well in the end. We knew our bowlers had to take the lead as scoring is tough on this pitch.
"Arshdeep [Singh] started off magnificently. We want options with us. As and when we feel like we could use them, we should be and that's what Dube allowed.
"Being in the Super 8s is a big relief. Playing here wasn't easy, it could've been anyone's game."
USA still have a chance of progressing to the next round after back-to-back victories over Canada and Pakistan.
"The boys were disciplined today, pleased that the game got close," USA captain Aaron Jones said. "We've wanted fans, talked about it for a couple of years.
"We'll come hard against Ireland for sure."
Matthew Mott is hopeful Josh Hazlewood's comments about wanting England eliminated from the T20 World Cup were "tongue in cheek", with the reigning champions' title defence hanging in the balance.
After their opening match against Scotland was rained off - and defeat by Australia - Mott's England must now beat Oman and Namibia in their remaining Group B games - while significantly boosting their net run-rate - to stand any chance of advancing to the Super 8s.
However, England would be knocked out on Sunday if Scotland were to beat Australia, who have already qualified for the next phase after winning each of their first three matches, while a narrow Australian win could also dethrone them.
Hazlewood acknowledged it would be in Australia's "best interest" if England were eliminated, and discussed the possibility of his side attempting to benefit the Scots' net run-rate at the defending champions' expense.
"Having grown up in Australia and with the will to win every game, I am sure they will come to the fore," Mott told BBC Sport. "I am very much hoping it was an off-hand remark by a really good bloke who is having fun.
"Knowing Josh, he has got a pretty dry sense of humour. I am hoping it was very much tongue in cheek."
With their 100 per cent record intact, the reigning Cricket World Cup winners and World Test champions are full of confidence as they look to complete the sweep of global international honours.
Adam Zampa played a starring role in the commanding victory over Namibia last time out, with an impressive 4-12 making him the first Australian to claim 100 T20I wickets.
He has also now claimed the most wickets for his nation at the T20 World Cup (31) - surpassing Mitchell Starc (29), and skipper Mitchell Marsh paid tribute to the spin bowler.
"If you look at his career, especially over the last five years, he's probably our most important player," Marsh said.
"He loves the big moment, loves the pressure, and that comes with experience. He's bowling beautifully at the moment, so we're lucky to have him."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
