West Indies’ impressive total of 352 for 8, featuring a century from Keacy Carty and a record-equalling fifty from Matthew Forde, wasn’t enough to secure a result in the second ODI against Ireland as rain forced the match to be abandoned. This means Ireland maintains an unassailable 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Ireland won the toss and chose to bowl under overcast skies. West Indies’ openers, Brandon King and Evin Lewis, started aggressively, but Barry McCarthy provided the early breakthrough for Ireland by dismissing King. Josh Little then claimed the wicket of Lewis shortly after.
Shai Hope and Carty then steadied the innings, building an 81-run partnership and avoiding a repeat of their top-order collapse from the previous match. Hope was the more fluent of the two, hitting the first six of the game before falling for 49.
The tempo increased after Hope’s dismissal, with Carty taking charge and Amir Jangoo rotating the strike. Carty reached his half-century off 67 balls and then accelerated, taking on Barry McCarthy for two fours and a six in an over. After Jangoo’s departure, Carty brought up his century off 105 balls.
However, a quick succession of wickets, including Carty caught behind and Roston Chase falling to a brilliant catch, left West Indies at 246 for 6 and in danger of falling short of 300.
This is when Matthew Forde exploded onto the scene. He hit a six off his second ball, followed by four sixes in the next over, three of them consecutively. He then continued his assault, hitting two more sixes to equal AB de Villiers’ record for the fastest ODI fifty, reaching it in just 16 balls. Forde was eventually bowled for a blistering 58 off 19 deliveries.
Justin Greaves (44* off 36) and Gudakesh Motie (18 off 8) capitalized on Forde’s momentum, plundering 106 runs off the last 42 balls to power West Indies to their second-highest total against Ireland.
Unfortunately, persistent rain during the innings break prevented Ireland’s chase from even starting, leading to the abandonment of the match.
