A last wicket partnership of 31 between Christina Coulter-Reilly and Ava Canning and four wickets for Aimee Maguire helped Ireland to an exciting 11 runs victory over Bangladesh in their final warm-up game ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup.

Despite 30 from 26 balls by Rebecca Stokell and quick runs at the top of the order from Amy Hunter and Gaby Lewis, Ireland collapsed from 86 for four to 112 for nine with 14 balls still remaining. A boundary from Coulter-Reilly helped take 10 off the 19th over but Canning took centre stage in the last, with back to back sixes followed by a four and even with just two off the last ball, she had taken 21 off the over. She faced just eight balls.

It set Bangladesh an unlikely target of 144 to win and Maguire, opening the bowling, struck with her third ball to bowl Dilara Akter. Her opening partner, Juairya Ferdous, however, hit back with 50 from 38 balls, including 10 fours, dominating a second wicket stand of 77 in 12 overs. Lara McBride made the breakthrough but it was Maguire who put Ireland back in control, when she returned for her second spell.

Three wickets in six balls reduced Bangladesh to 105 for five with just three overs remaining and with Cara Murray and Canning conceding just 13 runs in the next two overs, it left Georgina Dempsey, bowling her first over, to defend 25 in the last. Shorna Akter and Nahida Akter each hit her for six but Nahida could manage only a single off the fifth ball and Ireland were home.

Maguire finished with four for 20, Murray was wicketless but conceded just 21 runs in her four overs and Arlene Kelly and Orla Prendergast, given only two overs each as Lewis tested her depth in bowling also went for only a run a ball.

There remains a worry over Hunter’s opening partner with Alana Dalzell again out for a golden duck but Lewis, Prendergast and Stokell, who were three, four and five in this game, could all move up one and Leah Paul is certainly good enough to bat at number five.

It should be a confident Ireland who open their World Cup campaign on Saturday morning against Scotland.