Ireland 129 for 4 (Prendergast 63, Hunter 28, Munisar 2-28) beat West Indies 128 for 7 (Henry 27, Murray 2-13, A Maguire 2-22) by six wickets

It took Ireland 22 attempts across five editions of the T20 World Cup to win a match. They beat West Indies, for whom a win would have secured a semi-final spot, in a low-scoring thriller in Bristol. Ireland's win brought defending champions New Zealand back into contention - their final group game against England gaining significance. More importantly for Ireland, it ended a long run of nearly-theres, including a four-run defeat to New Zealand last week, and proved they can compete and beat big teams.

Ireland were economical with the ball and limited West Indies to 128 for 7, with none of their batters able to get more than Chinelle Henry's 27 off 21 balls. Ireland's spinners were the stranglers-in-chief as legspinner Cara Murray was the standout in their attack, as her four overs brought a return of two for 13 while left-arm spinner Aimee Maguire took 2 for 22.

Chasing a modest total, Ireland were positive in the powerplay and on 37 for 1 after the first six overs. Though they lost captain Gaby Lewis for nine, Amy Hunter and Orla Prendergast put on 62 off 53 balls for the second wicket. Prendergast scored her second half-century of the tournament to put West Indies on the brink. But once she was dismissed, nerves jangled until Rebecca Stokell and Louise Little took it home.

Ireland's women's team caps off a celebratory 24 hours for their country after the men's team beat India for the first time in any format in a T20I in Belfast on Friday.

West Indies all or bust at the beginning

Brought back into the side after missing the England game, Qiana Joseph started with a bang when blasted the third ball she faced to Jane Maguire at square leg but it was hit so hard it burst through her hands for four. She hit the next ball through midwicket for a second successive boundary but then tried to finish the over with a full-blooded sweep and top-edged to Leah Paul at short fine leg. In the next over, Hayley Matthews edged Prendergast through the vacant short third area and then clipped her through square leg. By the third over, Shemaine Campbelle was in on the act when she edged an Arlene Kelly outswinger for four. But she then sent a leading edge high for Hunter to run back and settle under. Stafanie Taylor was at No.4 after batting lower down previously and cut the first ball she faced through point for four. After three overs, West Indies were 31 for two, with 24 runs in boundaries and two wickets down.

Matthews, Taylor and Dottin get starts but don't get going

After their rapid start, West Indies were tied down by four boundary-less overs before Matthews was offered a short, wide ball from Jane and sent it through point for her second four. She went from 10 off six balls to 22 off 24 and then, searching for another boundary, she swept Murray straight to square leg where Stokell accepted a simple chance. Taylor had a much less fluent start and worked her way 16 off 26 balls before she skipped down the track to meet an Aimee delivery on the full and hit it straight to Prendergast at long-on.

Deandra Dottin had a slow start and was on two runs off 10 balls before she got down on one knee to sweep Aimee behind square for four. That was the only boundary she hit. She worked her way to 21 off 28 balls, then got a full toss from Jane that she hit straight to Prendergast at extra cover. There was a thought that it could have been a no-ball for height but it was deemed legal.

Hunter does the hunting

Ireland were off to a solid start with eight runs off the first two overs but had yet to find the boundary when Hunter went looking. She tried to hit Matthews over mid-off but sent the ball straight to Jannillea Glasgow, who fluffed a simple chance at mid-off. Hunter was on three at the time and rubbed salt into the wounds when she advanced on Matthews and hit her between mid-on and mid-wicket for four. Then, she followed up by hitting Matthews over cow corner for six and Ireland had two boundaries in two balls. Hunter went on to score 28 and batted until the 13th over, when Ireland were already in a good position on 88 for 1 before miscuing Afy Fletcher to Taylor at point. Ireland needed 40 runs from 42 balls when she was dismissed.

Prendergast sparkles to take Ireland over the line

She scored a half-century in Ireland's chase against New Zealand, where they fell short by four runs. Her dismissal triggered a collapse, so Prendergast would have known the importance of her seeing it through this time. She was 46 off 35 balls when Hunter departed and reached her fifty off the next delivery. She hit Ashmini Munisar between deep mid-wicket and deep square leg for her seventh four. Later in the over, Prendergast threaded one through the gap between cover-point and backward point, showing off her back foot play both sides of the wicket.

In the next over, Prendergast was given out caught behind down the leg side, off Fletcher but reviewed immediately and successfully. She then took one risk too many when trying to hit Matthews over mid-wicket but did not get enough on it and was caught by Dottin on the rope. Ireland needed 21 runs off 28 balls as she left the field.