Ireland beat Italy to finish with 100% record

Laura Delany's 91 helped Ireland finish the campaign with a faultless record

ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier Division One, Rotterdam

Ireland 175-6 (20 overs): Delany 91, Hunter 62; Bartram 2-23

Italy 142-9 (18 .3 overs): Wikman 53, Piparo 36; Sargent 3-38

Ireland won by 33 runs

Scorecard

Ireland ended their Women's T20 World Cup European qualifying campaign with six wins from six after a 33-run victory over Italy in Rotterdam.

Having already progressed for the final qualifier in Nepal in January, Ireland rested skipper Gaby Lewis and all-rounder Orla Prendergast, with Arlene Kelly handed the captaincy for the first time.

In the absence of Lewis and Prendergast, Amy Hunter and Laura Delany shone as they produced a second-wicket partnership of 139. Hunter hit 62 off 51 balls while Delany struck 91, which included 13 fours, as she fell just shy of a century.

Hunter's dismissal led to the loss of five wickets in 13 balls as Ireland finished their innings on 175-6.

Needing a strong start, Italy surged to 110-2 after 13 overs, but Ireland's Lara McBride and Freya Sargent took a combined five wickets as the Italians fell short.

"It was a really nice track to bat on," said Delany, who was named player of the match and tournament.

"Over the past 18 months I've been working on the power side of my game and we've been given the confidence to go out and play a fearless type of cricket and I did that today.

"It was brilliant [to bat with Hunter] to have different conversations in the middle. For someone so young she's got so much experience and tactical awareness."