Forde Fires Back But The Rain Spoils It In Dublin

After that brutal loss in the first ODI, West Indies fans were looking for some kind of answer and today, they got one. Not the result we wanted, no. But the energy? The intent? Night and day compared to what we saw two days ago.

Matthew Forde. Remember the name. The 22-year-old from Barbados came out swinging and gave us a knock we’ll be talking about for a long time 58 off just 19 balls. That’s right. He equalled AB de Villiers’ record for the fastest ODI fifty, reaching the milestone in just 16 balls. Power, confidence, fearless strokeplay. It wasn’t just Forde, the entire batting unit showed up this time, putting 352 for 8 on the board. From top to bottom, there was intent, real purposeful cricket. You could see the shift in mindset from ball one.

But just as things were looking up for the maroon, the Dublin skies opened up and washed away the fight. Rain had the final say, and the second ODI was abandoned with no result. Just like that, the fire we brought to level the series had to be shelved. It’s a bitter one to swallow.

Still, the contrast between this game and the first was undeniable. On Tuesday, we looked unprepared, flat, and off the pace. Ireland bossed that match. Today, we looked like a different side. Aggressive, sharper and with a plan. That’s the West Indies fans want to see, win or lose, show that fight.

Forde, man of the moment, was the heartbeat of it all. He’s been knocking on the door, and today he kicked it clean open. That kind of fearless cricket is what we need more of, not just from the youngsters, but the senior statesmen need to match that energy every time they step out.

So now, it all comes down to the third and final ODI. Series still 1-0 to Ireland, but the momentum? That’s swung our way. The rain may have robbed us of a result, but the message was sent loud and clear.

Coming Saturday, it’s about finishing strong. Showing that the performance today wasn’t a one-off, but the standard we’re setting going forward. If we play with this kind of intensity and clarity, there’s no reason we can’t take that last game and level the series.