Stirling's 77 powers Ireland to first win on Bangladesh tour

Skipper Paul Stirling smashed 77 off 41 deliveries as Ireland registered their first win of the Bangladesh tour with a seven-wicket victory in the third and final T20I at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today.

Stirling, standing-in for Andrew Balbirnie, scored 77 as the visitors chased down 125-run target in 14 overs after having bowled the hosts out for 124 in 19.2 overs. The veteran Irish batter eventually fell to debutant leg-spinner Rishad Hossain but not before10 fours and four sixes.

It was Stirling's 22nd T20I fifty, one which helped Ireland snap a four-match losing streak in Bangladesh, with the two completed ODIs and the first two T20Is all won comfortably by Bangladesh.

Ross Adair (7) and Lorcan Tucker (4) were the other batters out, to Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam respectively.

Earlier, Shamim Hossain Patwary had scored 51 -- his maiden half-century in the format -- to propel Bangladesh to 124 in 19.2 overs.