IRE VS SCO - 7th Match, Group B, ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers 2023

Back-to-back defeats for Ireland and their chances of advancing to the next stage look very slim for now. As for Scotland, they will face UAE and Oman over the next four days and they would hope to win both to strengthen their chances of claiming a spot in the Super Sixes. We hope you had great fun following this game. Tomorrow, it will be West Indies vs Nepal in Harare. Do remember to join us for that. Until then, cheers and goodbye!!

Richie Berrington | Scotland skipper: What a game of cricket. Delighted to get over the line, we had the belief all the way through. Exceptional knock by Leasy (Leask) to get us over the line, The most important thing today was to turn up and play our best cricket. We had a good couple of weeks leading into this and we got a good group of players and staff and we will look to keep building on this. It was tense towards the end and obviously we managed to get over the line. (Brandon McMullen) was superb with the new ball, he has been opening for since he started playing and he will continue to get better. From a bowling point of view, lots of good stuff as we look to keep getting better and come back strong in the next game. Thanks to the fans for supporting all the way through.

Andrew Balbirnie | Ireland skipper: First 10 overs of batting and last 10 overs of fielding was where the game was won and lost. Credit to Scotland. The wicket here gets  better as the day goes on, the guys tried their best and we will go again in the next game. Execution could have been better. Our bowlers did really well, we will have a look back and see where we can go better in the next game. It is a knockout battle from here on and the boys will be up for the task. That was a high quality ODI innings (on Curtis Campher's 108-ball 120), the partnership with George (Dockrell) was a big positive for us.

Michael Leask | Player of the Match: I don't think I can quite put it into words, I'm lost for words. We had a few tough games against Ireland and last time we had a tied game (in the previous qualifiers) against Zimbabwe as well, so to hit the winning runs is even more special. We got a team that bat very deep, I got a lot of belief in my ability and Watty (Watt) and Surfy (Sharif) did a great job as well. He (Watt) is a fantastic performer, we had a lot of partnerships together and when he walked out to bat I told him let's do it one more time. This is just the start of our journey, we are gonna take things deep and hopefully go all the way. He (Brandon McMullen) is a fantastic cricketer, he is an absolute hero for us and long may it continue.

16:56 Local Time, 14:56 GMT, 20:26 IST: Phewf! What mad drama. Scotland had the game in the bag when they had Ireland at 70/5 in the first innings, and at 90/2 in the chase around 20th over, but they also had phases were they looked completely clueless and out of the game. Conceded almost 11 RPO in the last 10 overs with the ball and lost wickets at regular intervals after a decent start. Michael Leask, however, was having none of that. He walked in at 117/5 in the 26th over and saw three of his partners depart in the space of 8 overs. Then came Watt, his best mate, and the duo turned the game on its head with an 82-run stand for the eighth wicket before adding a 50-run stand with Safyaan Sharif. There was a shade of luck involved, indeed, but Leask and Scotland earned every bit of it. Slogsweeps, staying deep in the crease, manipulating the off-side field and what not! Leask had a ball of a game out there.....

Mark Adair to Leask, FOUR, stop running Michael Alexander Leask, you have played an exceptional knock and luck found a way to reward you. Scotland win by one wicket. He gets a full ball outside off and Leask swings as hard as he possibly can, a thick inside edge and it runs away past the keeper to his left. Leask refuses to put his head up and just rushes for the second run, by the time he was halfway down to complete the second, the ball had already crossed the fine leg fence....

2 from 1.

Mark Adair to Chris Sole, byes, 1 run, another bumper and Chris Sole couldn't get bat on it on the attempted ramp. Leask rushed to the batting end and forces Sole to rush to the other end. There was a little chance of a run-out as the keeper threw the ball to the bowler, but Mark Adair decided against the throw perhaps worried about the overthrows....

Scotland need 3 from 2

Mark Adair to Chris Sole, no run, bumper wide of off, Chris Sole looks to pull but can't get bat on ball....

Chris Sole, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Two fielders on the leg-side inside the ring....

Mark Adair to Safyaan Sharif, out Caught by Stirling!! With fielders swarming in on both sides Safyaan Sharif decides to take matter into his own hands. Looks to finish the game with a pull but the short ball rushed him for pace and ended up getting a top-edge on it, Stirling at short third ambles forward to complete the catch. Safyaan Sharif c Stirling b Mark Adair 6(9)

Mark Adair to Safyaan Sharif, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

More drama as Mark Adair pulls out of his delivery stride. Was that an attempt to run-out? Looked like it. He surely thought about it and thankfully for Scotland, Leask didn't move too far...

Mark Adair to Leask, 1 run, full outside off, Leask slaps the drive off the toe-end towards cover. Just one hit away now

Mark Adair to Leask, FOUR, oh dear! A misfield from Tector. Full and straight, Leask drills it straight to the left of long-on and it should have just been a single, Tector runs and fumbles while collecting the ball, allowing it to nutmeg him to the fence....

Scotland just 2 hits away, and more importantly for them - it will be Michael Leask on strike. Surely not going to the last ball, are we? Looks like Ireland haven't completed their overs in time and they have to bring an extra fielder inside the ring. More pressure on them....

Joshua Little to Leask, 1 run, slower full delivery outside off, Leask heaves off the cue end towards long-on

Joshua Little to Leask, FOUR, deep and low inside the crease, middle of the bat and bam! Square leg was up inside the ring and Leask went on one knee before belting the slog to the deep square fence. The length was full and that allowed Leask to have greater control over the shot