Ireland defeated West Indies by four runs on Wednesday at the National Cricket Stadium in St George’s, Grenada to win the first of their three-match Twenty20 cricket series.

Winning the toss and batting, Ireland made 208 runs for seven wickets from their 20 overs with West Indies ending their reply at 204 for seven from 20. Ireland’s victory was set up by a good opening stand by Paul Stirling and Kevin O’Brien, as they put on 154 for the first wicket.

Stirling top-scored with 95 runs from 47 balls, with six fours and eight sixes as O’Brien made 48 from 32 balls that included four fours and two sixes. After the fall of the first wicket of O’Brien, Ireland’s innings disintegrated as the other batsmen failed to make any significant impact on the scoreboard.

Sheldon Cotterell, Khary Pierre and Dwayne Bravo each took two wickets. In West Indies’ turn at the crease, most of the batsmen got good starts to their innings but failed to carry on. Evin Lewis top-scored with 53 from 29 balls with six fours and three sixes. Captain Kieron Pollard made 31 from 15 balls with one six and three fours as, for Ireland, Joshua Little took three wickets for 29 runs from his four overs.