Cricket World Cup 2015 Tables: Latest Standings, Results After Ireland vs. UAE

Ireland pipped United Arab Emirates by just two wickets in Brisbane on Wednesday, with the two associate nations playing out arguably the most exciting match of the 2015 World Cup so far.

Shaiman Anwar's 106 off 83 balls saw the United Arab Emirates post a very respectable total of 278-9, while Ireland initially crumbled to 97-4 in the chase.

However, Gary Wilson's 80 and Kevin O'Brien's quick-fire 50 eventually saw Ireland to victory with four balls to spare, and they now sit third in Pool B after two wins from two.

Here are the latest group standings after Ireland's narrow two-wicket victory, per ESPNcricinfo:

Pool A
Pool B
Team	Played	Won	Lost	Tied	No Result	Net Run Rate	Points
New Zealand	3	3	0	0	0	3.59	6
Australia	2	1	0	0	1	2.22	3
Bangladesh	2	1	0	0	1	2.10	3
Sri Lanka	2	1	1	0	0	-0.86	2
England	3	1	2	0	0	-1.42	2
Afghanistan	2	0	2	0	0	-1.18	0
Scotland	2	0	2	0	0	-2.74	0
Team	Played	Won	Lost	Tied	No Result	Net Run Rate	Points
India	2	2	0	0	0	2.06	4
West Indies	3	2	1	0	0	1.34	4
Ireland	2	2	0	0	0	0.34	4
South Africa	2	1	1	0	0	-0.68	2
Zimbabwe	3	1	2	0	0	-0.83	2
United Arab Emirates	2	0	2	0	0	-0.17	0
Pakistan	2	0	2	0	0	-2.26	0

Thus far, the associate nations in Australia and New Zealand—Ireland, United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan and Scotland—have made a mockery of their junior status, staying competitive in just about every fixture they have been involved in.

The decision of the ICC to reduce the number of teams to 10 for the next World Cup in 2019 looks increasingly baffling, especially after the show the United Arab Emirates and Ireland put on at the Gabba on Wednesday, per The Independent's Jack Pitt-Brooke:

Ireland won the toss and elected to put the United Arab Emirates in to bat, a decision that paid dividends as six wickets fell for 131 runs inside the first 35 overs, with Paul Stirling's 2-27 off 10 overs a particularly impressive set of figures.

However, the excellent Anwar—whose innings included 10 fours and a six—finally found a partner in No. 8 Amjad Javed, who scored 42 from 35 balls.

The pair put on 107 together, a record per ICC, and the United Arab Emirates' 147 runs from the final 15 overs saw them to a very defendable score, as Ireland's bowlers lost their discipline late in the innings:

Despite the late flurry, Ireland would still have been confident of victory, considering they chased down a target of 305 to beat the West Indies in their opener.

However, early wickets and slow scoring saw Stirling, Ed Joyce—bizarrely reprieved earlier in his innings of 37, per Sky Sports—William Porterfield and Niall O'Brien all fall relatively cheaply to leave Ireland 97-4 after 25.2 overs:

Wilson and Andy Balbirnie steadied the ship with a 74-run partnership before the latter was caught for 30, making way for the inimitable Kevin O'Brien in the 39th over with Ireland still struggling at 171-5.

Kevin O'Brien hit 50 from 25 balls with eight fours and two sixes, before falling on said score to the bowling of Javed, but his innings had put Ireland back in with a chance.

There was still work to do, however, with John Mooney falling for two soon before the excellent Wilson was caught by Javed off the bowling of Mohammad Naveed to leave Ireland 267-8 with 15 balls remaining.

Alex Cusack and George Dockrell saw Ireland over the line in nervy fashion to win a thrilling encounter with only four balls to spare.

The United Arab Emirates pushed the Irish all the way, but they had nothing to show for it come the end of proceedings in Brisbane. They now sit second from bottom in Pool B with two losses from two, with India, Pakistan, South Africa and West Indies still to come.

However, Ireland are in a terrific position to make the quarter-finals, their matches against Zimbabwe and Pakistan are both very winnable and should be key as the group stages continue.