Cricket Classics - Part Vi : Ireland vs England 2011 World Cup match

Hello, fellow Sports Enthusiasts,

Cricket is not just a sport between two teams; it's a battle of skills, strategy, and capitalizing on clutch moments. Although the game has transformed over the decades, it has never failed to impress us or leave us with unforgettable moments.

So, through this series, I will present some of the most iconic cricket matches that have made fans jump out of their seats. Let's remember those legendary games once a week.

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"It was just one of those days - everything I hit came out of the middle and when it didn't come out of the middle it went over the fielders' heads," - Kevin O'Brien.

This match is one of the most remarkable upsets in cricket history, showcasing that anything can happen in History. The 2011 ODI World Cup, was very remarkable for Asians particularly. It was co-hosted by Sri Lanka, India, and Bangladesh, and 14 Cricket giants competed for the glory for a month. Eventually, it was a Sri Lanka-India final, where India lifted the trophy after 28 years.

This was the 15th Match, in Group B held at Bengaluru, on March 02, 2011. England had a strong lineup, including stars like Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, and Graeme Swann. They were confident at the moment, looking for an easy win and good momentum. On the other hand, Ireland led by William Porterfield, was certainly the underdog with some passionate players. In the end, the match turned out to be one of the craziest and most memorable ones. So, let's talk about the Ireland vs England 2011 World Cup match in our 6th episode.

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England started the batting winning the toss. Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen started the show well with a 91-run partnership for the first wicket. Then the baton was taken by Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell. Those two added 157 runs for the third wicket scoring Jonathan Trott (92) and Ian Bell (81) runs. Anyway even with a small collapse at the end, they ended up scoring 327/8 runs.

The target seems impossible for any team under the circumstances, as that much of a score hasn't been chased in the World Cup history. So, think about the challenge for an associate team.

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Things got worse when Irelnd's captain was balled out by Anderson in the first ball of the inning. With that start, Ireland lose wickets regularly, giving the driver's seat to England. Their top 5 batsmen were in the dugout for just 111 runs inside the 25th over. But the match took a turn with the arrival of Kevin O'Brien. He played the inning of his life and one of the greatest batting performances by an associate member.

With Alex Cusack, he put a partnership of 162 runs for the 6th wicket. It's not just the number of runs, but the rate they came. While Alex was calm and protecting his end, Kevin was hitting all around the park. He was fearless and explosive banging the ballers all around the park. He smashed 113 runs off just 63 balls, which is the fastest World Cup century (in 50 balls). The inning included 13 fours and 6 sixes.

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Even after Alex got out for 47 runs in 58 balls, Kevin carried the innings near to the winning margin. John Mooney scored 33 runs off 30 in the end and carried Ireland to the winning. They won by 03 wickets with 05 remaining. This inning was the highest run chase in World Cup history until 2023.

For me, this is one of the biggest upsets in Cricket history, with one of the greatest comebacks and an individual inning.

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See you at the next episode!! You can always suggest a match to discuss in the next episode.

src - 2007 Cricket World Cup final

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Best Regards!