Dublin – Pakistan debutant Imam-ul-Haq noticed his facet to victory as Eire’s first tournament in males’s Check cricket resulted in a gallant last-day defeat by way of 5 wickets at Malahide on Tuesday.

Pakistan, set a apparently modest 160 to win, after previous making Eire follow-on, collapsed to 14 for 3 sooner than lunch at the 5th day.

However 22-year-old left-handed opener Imam, the nephew of Pakistan variety leader and previous Check batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq, replied to the power with 74 now not out — his maiden fifty at this stage.

In conjunction with Babar Azam, who made 59 after being dropped on 9, he saved Eire at bay throughout a fourth-wicket stand of 126.

Imam hit the profitable runs as gray clouds threatening rain hung over Malahide.

Victory used to be a great way for Pakistan to arrange for the primary of a two-Check sequence in opposition to England at Lord’s beginning on Would possibly 24.

Simply 4 balls into their chase, Pakistan noticed Azhar Ali edge Tim Murtagh to Paul Stirling to start with slip.

Haris Sohail (seven) fell subsequent, neatly taken within the gully by way of Ed Joyce off towering rapid bowler Boyd Rankin as Eire’s two former England internationals mixed.

And 13 for 2 changed into 14 for 3 in 4.Three overs when Middlesex paceman Murtagh produced a very good supply to bowl Asad Shafiq between bat and pad for one.

Imam, who bats in spectacles, confirmed a adulthood past lots of his extra skilled top-order colleagues.

He struck two nice fours off Stuart Thompson, a sq. minimize adopted by way of a sq. power.

Eire had to take each and every likelihood that got here their method however, with Babar but so as to add to his period ranking, he used to be dropped within the slips by way of Andrew Balbirnie.

Imam, having quilt pushed a 4 off Rankin, finished a 61-ball fifty with seven barriers — the 3rd time he had reached the landmark this excursion after half-centuries in warm-up fits in opposition to Kent and Northamptonshire.

Babar, cashed in to make a 61-ball fifty.

However with Pakistan 20 runs shy of victory, a mix-up noticed Babar run out.

There used to be nonetheless time for Eire to take a pair extra wickets however by way of then the tournament had escaped their seize.

Previous, Eire have been disregarded for 339 of their 2nd innings.

Kevin O’Brien, who on Monday changed into the primary Eire batsman to attain a Check hundred, fell to his first ball Tuesday as Mohammad Abbas had him stuck by way of Haris at slip for 118.

The Irish, resuming on 319 for seven, noticed Abbas then take 3 wickets for 12 runs in 22 balls, the paceman completing with an innings haul of 5 for 66 in 28.Three overs.

Handiest 3 facets within the 141-year historical past of Check cricket had received after being made to persist with on and just one males’s crew — Australia within the inaugural Check in opposition to England at Melbourne in 1877 — had loved a victory of their debut tournament at this stage.

Eire have been going through an innings defeat when man-of-the-match O’Brien got here in at 95 for 4 however, ably assisted by way of Stuart Thompson, who made 53, he grew to become the tide throughout a seventh-wicket partnership of 114.

However after Tyrone Kane had observed out Tuesday’s opening over from Mohammad Amir, who took his 100th Check wicket on Monday, Abbas struck.

O’Brien happening on one knee to aim a slashing power off a large half-volley from Abbas, nicked to Haris.

A crestfallen O’Brien bowed his head in frustration and dropped his bat as he trudged off the sphere.

However the 34-year-old had each and every explanation why to be pleased with an innings that spanned 5 hours, 44 mins and noticed him face 217 balls with 12 fours.

Transient rankings

Pakistan 1st Resorts: 310-Nine dec (Faheem Ashraf 83, Asad Shafiq 62, Shadab Khan 55; T Murtagh 4-45, S Thompson 3-62)

Eire 1st Resorts: 130 (Mohammad Abbas 4-44, Shadab Khan 3-31)

Eire 2d Resorts (following-on): 339 (Okay O’Brien 118, S Thompson 53; Mohammad Abbas 5-66, Mohammad Amir 3-63)

Pakistan 2d Resorts: 160-5 (Imam-ul-Haq 74 no, Babar Azam 59)

Outcome: Pakistan received by way of Five wkts