New Zealand thrash Ireland to win T20I series 3-0
New Zealand hammered Ireland in the third and final T20I to seal the series by a 3-0 margin. Chasing 175 runs to win, NZ (180/4) won the clash in 19 overs. Glenn Phillips (56*) and Daryl Mitchell (48) played crucial knocks. Earlier, Ireland finished strongly to put up 174/6 in 20 overs. Mark Adair hit a 15-ball 37*. Here are the key records scripted.
Ireland were reduced to 116/6 before Curtis Campher and Adair added valuable runs at the death to help the side. Paul Stirling (40) did well upfront with the bat. For the Kiwis, Ish Sodhi (2/27) was terrific once again. In response, NZ were 65/3 before a solid stand between Phillips and Mitchell helped the side seal the deal.
Martin Guptill scored a 19-ball 25 for the Kiwis at the top. He has 3,359 runs at 32.29. He has also raced to 167 T20I sixes. Phillips slammed an unbeaten 56 from 44 balls. This was his fourth T20I fifty. He has 793 runs now at 30.50. Mitchell (48) hit five fours and a six. He has amassed 459 runs, surpassing Jesse Ryder (457).
Stirling scored a 29-ball 40 for Ireland, hitting three fours and three sixes. He has raced to 2,894 runs at 29.53. He has now surpassed Aaron Finch's tally (2,855). Aidar hit two fours and four sixes in an entertaining 37*-run effort. He has raced to 331 runs at 14.31. Notably, Aidar and Campher smashed 66 runs in the last four overs.
Sodhi claimed two wickets for 27 runs from four overs. The right-arm spinner has raced to 89 scalps at 21.43. He is now the sixth-highest wicket-taker in T20Is, surpassing Chris Jordan (88) and Mustafizur Rahman (87).
