Cricket World Cup 2015 Results: Standings, Team Points and Latest Schedule

One of the best things about the Cricket World Cup is the chance to see some of the Associate nations and the progress they’ve made in the game. On Day 11, it was the turn of Ireland and the United Arab Emirates to show what they could do and it was the former who picked up a thrilling win in Brisbane

After losing early wickets a superb century from Shaiman Anwar helped push UAE to a score 278/9 from their 50 overs at the Gabba. But it was a total which Ireland—after their win over the West Indies in their opening match—would have been confident of chasing down.

But some astute early bowling from the UAE restricted the men in green and they looked set to fall short for large parts of this match. However, a fine 80 from Gary Wilson and a late flurry from Kevin O’Brien hauled Ireland over the line, making it two wins from two for them at this World Cup.

Points Table

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Pool A

Team	Played	Won	Lost	Tied	No Result	Net Run Rate	Points
New Zealand	3	3	0	0	0	3.59	6.0
Australia	2	1	0	0	1	2.22	3.0
Bangladesh	2	1	0	0	1	2.10	3.0
Sri Lanka	2	1	1	0	0	-0.86	2.0
England	3	1	2	0	0	-1.42	2.0
Afghanistan	2	0	2	0	0	-1.18	0.0
Scotland	2	0	2	0	0	-2.74	0.0

Pool B

Team	Played	Won	Lost	Tied	No Result	Net Run Rate	Points
India	2	2	0	0	0	2.06	4.0
West Indies	3	2	1	0	0	1.34	4.0
Ireland	2	2	0	0	0	0.34	2.0
South Africa	2	1	1	0	0	-0.68	2.0
Zimbabwe	3	1	2	0	0	-0.83	2.0
United Arab Emirates	2	0	2	0	0	-0.17	0.0
Pakistan	2	0	2	0	0	-2.26	0.0

Upcoming Schedule

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ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Fixtures

Pool Matches

Feb. 26 Pool A: Afghanistan v Scotland, Dunedin (10 p.m. GMT, Feb. 25)

Feb. 26 Pool A: Sri Lanka v Bangladesh, Melbourne (d/n) (3:30 a.m. GMT)

Feb. 27 Pool B: South Africa v West Indies, Sydney (d/n) (3:30 a.m. GMT)

Feb. 28 Pool B: Australia v New Zealand, Auckland (d/n) (1 a.m. GMT)

Feb. 28 Pool A: India v UAE, Perth (d/n) (6:30 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 1 Pool A: England v Sri Lanka, Wellington (Westpac Stadium) (10 p.m. GMT, Feb. 28)

Mar. 1 Pool B: Pakistan v Zimbabwe, Brisbane (d/n) (3:30 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 3 Pool B: South Africa v Ireland, Canberra (d/n) (3:30 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 4 Pool B: Pakistan v UAE, Napier (d/n) (1 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 4 Pool A: Australia v Afghanistan, Perth (d/n) (6:30 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 5 Pool A: Bangladesh v Scotland, Nelson (10 p.m. GMT, Mar. 4)

Mar. 6 Pool B: India v West Indies, Perth (d/n) (6:30 a.m. GMT 

Mar. 7 Pool B: South Africa v Pakistan, Auckland (d/n) (1 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 7 Pool B: Zimbabwe v Ireland, Hobart (d/n) (3:30 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 8 Pool A: New Zealand v Afghanistan, Napier (10 p.m. GMT, Mar. 7)

Mar. 8 Pool A: Australia v Sri Lanka, Sydney (d/n) (3:30 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 9 Pool A: England v Bangladesh, Adelaide (d/n) (3:30 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 10 Pool B: India v Ireland, Hamilton (d/n) (1 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 11 Pool A: Sri Lanka v Scotland, Hobart (d/n) (3:30 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 12 Pool B: South Africa v UAE, Wellington (Westpac Stadium) (d/n) (1 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 13 Pool A: Bangladesh v New Zealand, Hamilton (d/n) (1 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 13 Pool A: England v Afghanistan, Sydney (d/n) (3:30 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 14 Pool B: India v Zimbabwe, Auckland (d/n) (1 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 14 Pool A: Australia v Scotland, Hobart (d/n) (3:30 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 15 Pool B: West Indies v UAE, Napier (10 p.m. GMT, Mar. 14)

Mar. 15 Pool B: Pakistan v Ireland, Adelaide (d/n) (3:30 a.m. GMT)

Quarter-Finals

Mar. 18 Quarter-final 1, A1 v B4, Sydney (3:30 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 19 Quarter-final 2, A2 v B3, Melbourne (3:30 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 20 Quarter-final 3, A3 v B2, Adelaide (3:30 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 21 Quarter-final 4, A4 v B1, Wellington (1 a.m. GMT)

Semi-Finals

Mar. 24 Semi-final 1, Winner QF1 v Winner QF3, Auckland (1:00 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 26 Semi-final 2, Winner QF2 v Winner QF4, Sydney (3:30 a.m. GMT)

Final

Mar. 29 Final, Melbourne (4:30 a.m. BST)

Schedule courtesy of BBC Sport.

Gary Wilson and Kevin O'Brien Fire Ireland to Thrilling Victory

Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Ireland (279/8) beat United Arab Emirates (278/9) by two wickets

Ireland made it two wins from two at the Cricket World Cup after beating the United Arab Emirates by two wickets at the Gabba in a thrilling encounter.

Shaiman Anwar’s 106 from 83 balls breathed life back into the UAE efforts after they lost a flurry of early wickets to some astute Irish bowling. His brisk 107-run partnership with Amjad Javed—who made an impressive 42 off 34 balls himself—helped the UAE to counter-attack as they finished up on 278/9.

As noted here by BBC Test Match Special, Anwar’s innings was a landmark one for himself and his country:

"

Anwar scores the first ever 100 made by a UAE batsman in the World Cup and only the 2nd in any ODI #IREvUAE pic.twitter.com/ORvHimFXJt

— Test Match Special (@bbctms) February 25, 2015"

But 80 from Gary Wilson and a thrilling 50 from just 25 balls off Kevin O’Brien helped haul Ireland over the line after they also lost wickets early in their innings. They eventually reached their target of 279 with four balls to spare.

After beating the West Indies last time out, the expectancy was that the men in green would carry momentum into this clash and start on the front foot, so it was no surprise that Ireland seized the upper hand. A diligent 45 from Amjad Ali aside, the UAE top order faltered, as the economical spin bowling of Paul Stirling strangled the life out of their innings.

Ric Finlay of Australian Cricket Digest paid tribute to the efforts of the all-rounder, who finished up with fine figures of 2/27 from his 10 overs:

"

Paul Stirling bats at a million miles an hour, bowls like a wicket-taking scrooge, and can catch with the best of them. #useful

— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) February 25, 2015"

When Anwar strode to the crease his team were 78/4 and in desperate need of impetus. But not many expected the UAE No. 6 to have quite as big an impact as he did, as he went about constructing an inventive and important century for his team.

The shot-making from Anwar was a real delight to watch as he eked out singles, ran with a real endeavour between the wickets and shifted the pressure from his own side back onto the Irish bowlers.

As noted by former England bowler Graeme Swann, such was the quality of his 106, Anwar dragged his team back into a match that looked to be drifting away from them:

"

Well Ireland were well on top, but Anwar's brilliant hundred has scuppered that. Back to an even contest...

— Graeme Swann (@Swannyg66) February 25, 2015"

Javed also played his part with some smart shots but eventually both he and Anwar fell to the bowling of Max Sorensen. But the pair provided the foundation of an admirable and largely unexpected total of 278/9.

As noted by Indian bowler Ravichandran Ashwin, the score resembled a fine effort from the improving Associate nation:

"

That was a delightful knock by Shaiman Anwar,associate nations are sending a strong message.

— Ashwin Ravichandran (@ashwinravi99) February 25, 2015"

With momentum behind them, the UAE bowlers began with a spring in their step and the dangerous Stirling was snaffled by the wicketkeeper for just three following a fine delivery from Manjula Guruge. But the Irish were handed a remarkable stroke of luck not long after.

Javed looked to have bowled Ed Joyce when his delivery clipped the wicket and the bails lit up. But quite staggeringly, neither were dislodged and the Irishman was subsequently allowed to continue his innings.

Here’s a closer look at what happened courtesy of former Indian cricketer Ajit Agarkar:

"

Amazing!! pic.twitter.com/r4MgkW9DFO

— Ajit Agarkar (@imAagarkar) February 25, 2015"

Joyce didn’t make the UAE pay too much, though, as he fell for 37 not long after. William Porterfield followed for the same score soon afterwards and the dangerous Niall O’Brien fell just two overs later for 17. At 97/4, the Irish were staring down the barrel of their first defeat of the tournament.

However, a fine partnership of 74 between Wilson and Andy Balbirnie gave the men in green some hope of taking victory, although when the latter departed for 30 there was still plenty of work to do for the Irish. But O'Brien gave his side a real jolt of initiative when he strode to the crease.

Just 24 balls faced later, the Irishman had his half-century as he tucked into some nervy UAE bowling. Suddenly Ireland were favourites once again, but when O'Brien holed out on his 25th ball faced, the underdogs still had a smidgen of hope.

Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle thought that the damage had already been done, however:

"

Kevin O'Brien is out but he may have done enough.....#cwc15. Game changing half century.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 25, 2015"

His assessment proved to be correct. Wilson was well set, meaning Ireland continued to pick off the bad deliveries and keep the rate at a run-a-ball.

With wickets in hand the Irish looked pretty comfortable in the final stages, and although they lost both John Mooney and Wilson late on, they went on to notch their second successive victory at this tournament with four balls to spare.

The UAE will feel as though they let this one slip. Once O'Brien began scoring quickly they became too ragged in their bowling and fielding, handing some late momentum to their more illustrious opponents. But the men in green must be credited for capitalising on these frailties. 

O'Brien's knock will grab the headlines but massive credit must go to Wilson too. He came to the crease with his team in big trouble, steadied the ship and gradually accelerated to bring the run rate down. It was a gem of an innings in yet another wonderful Irish display.