T20 World Cup 2022: “None of us moved” - Ireland’s Simi Singh opens up on dressing room emotions during closing stages of England clash

Ireland spinner Simi Singh admitted that the dressing room was extremely nervous during the final stages of the T20 World Cup 2022 match against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Wednesday, October 26.

Ireland registered a famous five-run win (D/L method) over England in a rain-hit game. When play was halted, the Englishmen were 105/5 in 14.3 overs while chasing 158. They were only five runs behind the DLS target and with Moeen Ali (24* off 12) on the charge, the Irish dressing room was quite tense.

Luckily for Ireland, the play did not resume and they were declared winners. Opening up about the nervy last moments of the match, Singh told The Indian Express:

“None of us moved until the players started walking off the ground. If that over would have gone on, they (England) could have gone ahead of us. They were only behind by five runs, three balls were left, and Moeen Ali knew about it. But it was our day,” Singh said.

Going back to the start of the over, the 35-year-old said that since it had started raining, the Irish players were hoping that it did not stop. He narrated:

“It started raining heavily when (Gareth) Delany started the last over (15th of the England innings). One eye was on the big screen, where they were showing the DLS score, and the other was on heaven. We were keenly following the DLS score. Everyone was hoping for the rain to stay on, and it did."

On the emotions when Ireland were declared winners of the contest, Singh revealed:

“When we actually found out that we had won the match, everyone started celebrating in the changing room. Everyone started hugging each other, and there were tears in almost every eye. We’re all numb. Beating England is huge, and that too at the MCG, where Ireland was playing for the first time. It was the icing on the cake.”

Singh was left out of the playing XI for the game against England as Ireland went for an extra pacer in Fionn Hand. The move worked wonders as Hand bowled a brute to dismiss Ben Stokes.

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“It is right up there with Bangalore” - Simi Singh on Ireland’s MCG triumph

The win at MCG is Ireland’s second big triumph over England following their 2011 ODI World Cup victory in Bangalore. Eleven years ago, Kevin O’Brien slammed the fastest ODI World Cup hundred (50 balls) to pull off a massive upset.

According to Singh, the Melbourne win is up there with the Bangalore one. He opined:

“The win in Bangalore inspired a generation of cricketers. The likes of (Harry) Tector, (Curtis) Campher, (Josh) Little, all of them started playing cricket after that Kevin O’Brien show. This win in Melbourne will inspire the next generation. It is right up there with Bangalore.”

Ireland won’t get much time to rest on their laurels. They next take on Afghanistan at the same venue on Friday, October 28.