Player of the Match
Player of the Match

END OF OVER:
45 | 5 Runs | PAK: 160/5

  • Imam-ul-Haq74 (121b)
  • Shadab Khan4 (11b)
  • Tyrone Kane6-1-17-0
  • Stuart Thompson11-4-31-1

4pm So, that just about wraps things up from Malahide. It's been a special five four days, and it's ended with a doughty performance from a young Pakistan side who found their heroes at the right moment throughout the contest.

Ireland have oodles to be proud of, however. Especially that man Kevin O'Brien. Don't forget to check out all our post-match coverage from Mel and Jarrod, including #PoliteEnquiries. And we'll see you next week for Pakistan's next engagement, against England at Lord's on May 24.

Time for some presentations First up the Man of the Match is Kevin O'Brien.

"I think a slightly better morning for us and we could have pushed Pakistan even harder. I struggled the most this morning trying to forget about yesterday, it was mentally draining. I just played the situation where we needed to stick in and dig around. I'm renowned for slogging the ball into the stands but I reined myself in a little bit!

Will Porterfield: "The 200 mark would have made it close, but full credit to the boys, if we'd been able to break that partnership earlier it could have been close. We had a hell of a lot of good things coming out of the game. I couldn't have asked any more of the bowlers, we'd have liked to have the opportunity to bat that first innings again, but we showed character, and brought that into our first Test."

"Regardless of what happens, we always talked about winning the next session."

A T20 series against India coming up... "A lot to look forward to."

Sarfraz Ahmed: "Batting is very difficult here so a great knock from Imam and Babar. We dropped a couple of catches but if we'd taken them... they made a good partnership, but credit to my bowlers and my batsmen."

England coming up for Pakistan. "We need this kind of performance, so in'shallah we are ready for that tour."

3.55pm Ali Ahad: "Pakistan have too few experienced player for the team of their caliber, Ireland have two many experienced player they needed young blood" Not entirely untrue. But the combination has been compelling this week.

3.50pm The two teams have just posed for a joint photograph. What a nice touch that is! And a sign of the respect forged between the two sides. A genuine feelgood match for a beleaguered old format.

Ali Ahad: "Sometimes I realize how Important Pakistan is for the revival/survival of Test Cricket ... " Damn right. They are the linchpin in my opinion. The most interesting team for the neutrals to observe, in awe, in shock, in laughter sometimes. But it's never dull!

Swerver: "Ireland may have lost this match, but they have certainly won respect. A better first innings score and this match could've been really close." Indeed. They were a touch paralysed by nerves in the first dig, but really settled into their roles thereafter. Batting at times brilliant, bowling forever tenacious.

Maan: "A one or two very important things Pakistan need to improve in up coming games against england .. firstly they need azhar to stand up Pak surely cant afford him being out of form .. secondly sarfraz need to improve behind the stumps .. he is not batting that well and then if he cant keeps well enough then surely its gonna hurt Pskistan big time"

3.45pm Handshakes all round, and rightly so. It's been a tremendous Test match, Ireland battled to the bitter end, even when all hope was lost they refused to offer any freebies

Stefan: "Hey, at least this was a wonderful distraction from the seemingly never-ending, monotonously soul crushing, strategy breakingly commercial megabeast that is the IPL. I almost forgot what real cricket is like... " Talking of such things, an IPL/Test cricket cross-over player is at it again for Rajasthan Royals...

44.6
2
Kane to Imam-ul-Haq, 2 runs, inside-edged push through square leg, and Pakistan have won by five wickets! Fittingly it's Imam with the winning runs. He's played a blinder, rescuing his side from 14 for 3, and on debut as well
44.5
0
Kane to Imam-ul-Haq, no run, full length, dug out, pushed into the off side

Umair Mehmood: "Looking back at 14/3, Pakistan still needs a top order batsman which can stay longer. It's big time to test Fawad Alam" He certainly thinks so!

44.4
1
Kane to Shadab Khan, 1 run, nudged to cover to take a third off the requirement
44.3
0
Kane to Shadab Khan, no run, left alone, no stroke offered on a wide line
44.2
2
Kane to Shadab Khan, 2 runs, on the pads, flicked square, a scrambling half-stop from Thompson, but Pakistan need three now
44.1
0
Kane to Shadab Khan, no run, very full, late swing, blocked, no surrender from the Irish

END OF OVER:
44 | 2 Runs | PAK: 155/5

  • Imam-ul-Haq72 (119b)
  • Shadab Khan1 (7b)
  • Stuart Thompson11-4-31-1
  • Tyrone Kane5-1-12-0
43.6
0
Thompson to Imam-ul-Haq, no run, attempted biff off the back foot, not quite timed

Atrus: "I have to say, I'm impressed by IRE's resiliency here. They will almost certainly lose, but they don't intend to make it easy. 18/2 in the last 10 overs!"

43.5
1
Thompson to Shadab Khan, 1 run, full and straight, keeps low, tucked to leg, another single

Kumail Zaidi: "Is Pakistan the only country, that gives its opponents hope and then take it away .. then give it back and take it away .. and it goes on and on .. " England have got quite good at that in recent years, to be fair ... when they aren't being butchered overseas, that is

43.4
0
Thompson to Shadab Khan, no run, tapped into the leg side
43.3
1
Thompson to Imam-ul-Haq, 1 run, shorter in length, still a tight line, and an urgent cut through backward point. Another one chalked off
43.2
0
Thompson to Imam-ul-Haq, no run, on the pads, tucked to the leg side
43.1
0
Thompson to Imam-ul-Haq, no run, big outswinger, fizzing through to the keeper, no stroke

END OF OVER:
43 | 1 Run | PAK: 153/5

  • Shadab Khan0 (5b)
  • Imam-ul-Haq71 (115b)
  • Tyrone Kane5-1-12-0
  • Stuart Thompson10-4-29-1
42.6
0
Kane to Shadab Khan, no run, back of a length, outswing, punched to cover
42.5
0
Kane to Shadab Khan, no run, keeps low from over the wicket, attacking off stump and dug out
42.4
1
Kane to Imam-ul-Haq, 1 run, beauty! A big inswinger, out of the blue, and it's just as well it was a man who 114 balls to his name behind that one. Dug out with a shuffle of bat and feet
42.3
0
Kane to Imam-ul-Haq, no run, very wide line, nipping away, no stroke there
42.2
0
Kane to Imam-ul-Haq, no run, outside off, ploughing a furrow, no stroke offered

Three slips and a gully

42.1
0
Kane to Imam-ul-Haq, no run, round the wicket, stabbed back down the pitch on the back foot

END OF OVER:
42 | 4 Runs 1 Wkt | PAK: 152/5

  • Shadab Khan0 (3b)
  • Imam-ul-Haq70 (111b)
  • Stuart Thompson10-4-29-1
  • Tyrone Kane4-1-11-0
41.6
0
Thompson to Shadab Khan, no run, outside off, through to the keeper, but yikes, that was tight to the edge!

Zeeshan: "Can we let improve Imam without everytime naming his uncle? He has right to become a good player and earn his own name" To be fair, it is his debut. I'm sure he'll develop his own identity in time. Like Shaun Pollock or Stuart Broad

41.5
0
Thompson to Shadab Khan, no run, outside off, and left alone
41.4
0
Thompson to Shadab Khan, no run, tight wicket-to-wicket line. Blocked

Shadab, an important 50 in the first innings. Can he finish this now?

41.3
W
Thompson to Sarfaraz Ahmed, OUT, big appeal, and nailed on the knee-roll! Thompson is rewarded for his perseverence... kept a touch low as Sarfraz shaped to pull and up goes the finger! He doesn't look best pleased, might have been sliding leg-side, but Ireland have a late reward for their efforts

Sarfaraz Ahmed lbw b Thompson 8 (19m 12b 2x4 0x6) SR: 66.66

41.2
4
Thompson to Sarfaraz Ahmed, FOUR, back of a length, and thumped firmly through point to take the target into single figures!
41.1
0
Thompson to Sarfaraz Ahmed, no run, left alone outside off, keeps a touch low

END OF OVER:
41 | (maiden) | PAK: 148/4

  • Imam-ul-Haq70 (111b)
  • Sarfaraz Ahmed4 (9b)
  • Tyrone Kane4-1-11-0
  • Stuart Thompson9-4-25-0
40.6
0
Kane to Imam-ul-Haq, no run, this is a fine late rally from Kane, who has yet to take a wicket in the Test, but he bends this one past the edge at good pace, and Imam is beaten twice in a row

Pakistan 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st2Azhar AliImam-ul-Haq
2nd11Haris SohailImam-ul-Haq
3rd1Asad ShafiqImam-ul-Haq
4th126Babar AzamImam-ul-Haq
5th12Sarfaraz AhmedImam-ul-Haq
6th8Imam-ul-HaqShadab Khan