THERE IS nothing impossible for Kevin O’ Brien. Anyone who watched yesterday’s cricket world cup match between England and Ireland, would confirm that the Irish batsmen could do any thing he wanted as this was his special day.
Underdogs by a long shot, Ireland's victory over England has been so far the biggest upset of the ongoing cricket world cup 2011. Minnows they might be, but many of the Irish players are used to playing against their English counterparts while playing for English counties.
In a tight match, the Irish defeated the English team comfortably. In this major upset, Ireland's Kevin O'Brien struck the fastest century in the World Cup thus carving a victory for his team at the Chinnaswamy Stadium of Bangalore.
The Dubliner is also placed sixth in the list of fastest ODI centuries.
Chasing a mammoth total of 327 runs, the Irish team was at one point of time 106 runs for the loss of 4 wickets. At that point of time, it appeared as if the English team had managed to take home the match. But whatever happened after the batting power play taken by Ireland’s captain William Porterfield has become history now.
In this powerplay, the Irish batsmen hammered England bowlers brutally. Probably, no corner of the ground was left, where Kevin did not play his shots. In his brilliant innings of 113, he smashed 6 sixes.
Although he was out for 113 shortly before Ireland’s moment of glory, their first win over England, by then the damage had been done, and his team mates passed the massive 328 target with three wickets and five balls to spare.
No team has ever scored more to win a World Cup match batting second. It was Kevin's knock, the fastest century of the world cup, which helped Ireland knock the English team. He brought up his century in just 50 deliveries with no less than 6 sixes including one 102-metre hit over long on and 13 fours.
This is not for first time that Ireland has been credited for doing something unexpected. In the previous edition of Cricket World Cup in 2007, they ousted the 1992 winners Pakistan in a major upset in Jamaica.
More ON >> Cricket World Cup News, ICC Cricket World Cup
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