Cricket: Ireland's World Twenty20 campaign ended in a 39-run defeat to Pakistan at the Oval today but captain William Porterfield insists his side can take plenty of positives from their impressive showing on the big stage.
After another respectable outing from the bowlers, Ireland’s limitations with the bat were ruthlessly exposed.
Porterfield's team restricted Pakistan to 159 for five and were competitive until the latter half of their own innings when the gulf in class was emphasised.
Paul Stirling, 18, and the more established Kevin O'Brien attempted some adventure but the entire team managed only six boundaries between them. They lost only two wickets in the opening 13 overs but, after Porterfield succumbed for 40, they collapsed.
Once again it was Umar Gul who seized the initiative for Pakistan, following his extraordinary figures of five for six against New Zealand on the same ground this past weekend.
Fast bowler Gul, whose exploits on Saturday sparked an approach from the Black Caps to the match officials to check the legality of the methods by which he obtained reverse swing, was rewarded once again for his ability to send down searing yorkers at will.
New Zealand accepted the match officials' view they had seen nothing to arouse suspicion.
There was no repeat of the carnage he inflicted on the Kiwis but the runs simply dried up as the Irish slipped from 87 for two to 120 for nine.
Gul hit the timber three times - one effort was redundant as it was from a free hit - as Ireland's hitters Trent Johnston and Andrew White were meekly tamed.
With Ireland's batsmen forced to have a dash at the other end, off-spinner Saeed Ajmal profited with four for 19.
Pakistan now head Group F and, with a superior net run-rate to rivals Sri Lanka and New Zealand, will proceed to the semi-finals despite a slow start to the tournament.
Kamran Akmal shaped their innings with a composed 57, from 51 deliveries, but the Irish put in another impressive display with the ball to restrict the total on a good batting surface.
No other batsman managed more than 24 and regular wickets from the final over of the powerplay onwards limited the potential damage.
Warwickshire pace bowler Boyd Rankin produced a brilliant display and, although he went wicketless, his figures of 4-0-11-0 are likely to remain among the best in 20-over internationals for some time to come.
Despite the third defeat in the Super Eights, Porterfield believes his team has learned a lot after advancing past the first stage.
"We can take a lot out of it. We have a lot to work on over the winter,” he said. "But we are progressing with the bat and the ball.
"The more cricket we play against the top sides the better it is. The more the lads get full-time contracts the better."
Pakistan skipper Younus Khan found fault with his side's display even though Ireland rarely looked like they were going to reach their victory target of 160.
"Things are going right for us at the moment,” he said. "But we were short in our innings by about 15 runs. With bowling like that, you should score 170, 180.
"Our spinners did a good job and with these kind of performances we can win the competition."