BRISBANE: Australian bowlers ran through the Irish batting line despite brave resistance by Lorcan Tucker while skipper Aaron Finch led the batting assault with a sensational knock of 63 off 44, aiding the defending champions to seal a comprehensive win by 42 runs against Ireland.
Set to chase a massive target of 180, Ireland were bundled out for 137 in 18.1 overs with Tucker failing to bow in face of a strong Australian bowling attack as he played a valiant knock of an unbeaten 71 off 48 laced with nine boundaries and a six.
Ireland displayed a dismal batting performance as seven of their batters were sent back to the pavilion in single-digit scores while Paul Stirling (11), Gareth Delany (14) and Mark Adair (11) barely make it into double figures.
For Australia, pacers Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc bagged two wickets each while spinners Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell took two wickets apiece too. Allrounder Marcus Stoinis also had a scalp to his credit.
Earlier, Australia put up a dominant batting show throughout the innings despite an early scare as opener David Warner was dismissed in the third over after Ireland invited the hosts to bat first.
Following the early breakthrough, Mitchell Marsh and the skipper gathered for a strong 52-run partnership for the second wicket and took the scoreboard to 62/1 in eight overs before the right-arm pacer Barry McCarthy got rid of the No 3 batter Marsh.
Captain Finch then went on to build another superb 70-run partnership in just 36 balls with No 5 batter Marcus Stoinis, who had scored the fastest T20I fifty for Australia in the previous match against Sri Lanka and steered Australia to a commanding position in the game.
Finch smashed five fours and three sixes during his scintillating knock while Stoinis contributed 35 off 25 laced with three fours and a six.
Ireland bowled on tight lines in the death overs as George Dockrell and Josh Little offered three runs each in the 18th and 19th over, respectively, before Tim David and Matthew Wade squeezed out 17 runs off the last over bowled by Mark Adair.
McCarthy was the pick of the bowlers for the Irish side as he returned impressive figures of 3/29 in his four overs quote while Little remained the most inexpensive bowler as he offered just 21 runs at an economy of 5.25 and grabbed two wickets.
