Ireland marked a major milestone in cricket on 21 May 2025 by beating the West Indies by 124 runs in the 1st ODI of a three-match series at Clontarf Cricket Club, Dublin. After being invited to bat first after winning the toss, West Indies captain Sahi Hope looked on as Ireland set the impressive score of 303 for 6 with key performances from Andy Balbirnie (112), Harry Tector, and Lorcan Tucker for Ireland to set West Indies a challenging 304 total on a pitch offering little assistance to bowlers such as Alzarri Joseph and Jayden Seales.

West Indies' chase started poorly against disciplined Ireland bowlers and fell apart even faster than anticipated. Barry McCarthy was the instrument of destruction (4 wickets)—the first two top-order batsmen, Brandon King and Evin Lewis, were dismissed cheaply. Shai Hope did the best he could, but the run rate kept building up, and Ireland kept chipping away, resulting in the West Indies eventually being bowled out for 179 runs in 34.1 overs. Ireland accompanied their efficient bowling with a quality fielding performance to sit comfortably across the line for a comprehensive victory, which would send waves of mixed emotions and excitement across the global cricketing community.

This victory is a milestone moment for Ireland to rival their 2022 series win over the West Indies, their first ODI series victory away from home against a full member nation. This victory is part of the ICC Cricket World Cup League Two (2023-27) and supports Ireland's campaign for a place in the 2027 World Cup and demonstrates they are becoming a serious proposition for ICC members and one to watch out for.

Celebration and Reaction

The cricketing world showered praise on those with Ireland in attendance celebrating the incredible victory by such an emphatic margin. The moment fans replied with support to Irish players with beaming smiles on their faces on the field and saw the scoreboard showing a 124 winning margin clearly demonstrated their complete control over the match.

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With a 1-0 lead, Ireland now wants to win the series, while the West Indies will be looking to regroup ahead of the second ODI. The future of cricket is changing. Associate nations are not only becoming stronger, but they are constantly challenging the traditional nations of the game, which creates excitement in itself for the remainder of the series.