Orla Prendergast smashed 56 and followed up with four miserly overs in Kathmandu to get Ireland’s T20 World Cup qualifying campaign off to a convincing start with a 41-run victory over Papua New Guinea. Skipper Gaby Lewis won the toss, chose to bat, and led the expected charge with 42 off 25 balls, and when she fell lbw Prendergast took over, reaching her half-century with the second of her two sixes. Arlene Kelly (2-18) and Laura Delany (1-11) showed that their experience and pace-off seamers will be invaluable on the typically slow pitches in Nepal, while Aimee Maguire, Alana Dalzell and Jane Maguire took the other wickets to fall as the Pacific islanders closed on 105-6. Next up for Ireland is another game they will be expected to stroll through the USA on Thursday before they round off their Group A matches against Bangladesh and Namibia. Meanwhile, Ireland U-19s will take on Sri Lanka in Windhoek on Monday in a must-win clash after losing their World Cup opener to Australia on Friday.

Source: Irish Independent January 19, 2026 06:06 UTC