Ireland claim famous T20 World Cup win over England at the MCG

England suffered a major T20 World Cup setback as Ireland claimed another momentous victory over their rivals, having been given a helping hand by the rain at the MCG.

Captain Andy Balbirnie’s 62 off 47 balls underpinned Ireland’s 157 all out in 19.2 overs although his dismissal was the start of a collapse that saw his side lose their last seven wickets in 24 deliveries.

But England lurched to 86 for five under heavy cloud cover and, despite a late burst of boundaries from Moeen Ali, they were still short of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern par when the heavens opened.

The delay proved terminal as England, on 105 for five when the downpour started, slipped to a five-run defeat under the DLS method, delivering a hammer blow to their hopes of reaching the semi-finals.