IRELAND progressed to the last eight of the World Twenty20 after beating Bangladesh by six wickets in their Group A match at Trent Bridge

Bangladesh set their opponents a modest 138 to win after none of their side’s front-line batsmen made a significant contribution.

Trent Johnston was the pick of the Ireland bowling attack, finishing with figures of 3-20 off his four-over allocation, including the key wickets of Junaid Siddique, Shakib Al Hasan and the Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful.

Kyle McCallan’s off-breaks proved a problem for the Bangladesh middle order, and the spinner claimed impressively economical figures of 1-17 off his four-over spell.

The Ireland response started very slowly, and opener Jeremy Bray managed just two runs from 10 balls before he was dismissed by Mashrafe Mortaza, with his side well below the required rate.

Earlier, Mortaza had spared the Tigers’ blushes with 33 runs off 16 balls, batting at number eight and hauling his side’s total up in the final four overs.

Ireland turned their innings around, thanks in part to a superb 40 off 25 balls by their wicketkeeper and number three batsman Niall O’Brien, who was later named man-of-the-match.

O’Brien’s quick-fire innings included three huge sixes off the sixth over of the Irish innings, with Mortaza unable to quell the onslaught from the batsman.

Ireland captain William Porterfield also made a valuable contribution alongside O’Brien, playing an innings of poise and composure, and finishing with 23 runs to his name.

Kevin O’Brien picked up the run chase from his brother in the later stages, bludgeoning 39 off just 17 balls, including a four to seal victory in the penultimate over.

Ireland and India are now through from Group A, with the two sides set to meet in the final pool game on June 10.

Bangladesh’s tournament is over after they also lost their opening game to India. (Eurosport)

BANGLADESH innings
T. Iqbal run-out 22
J. Siddique c Bray b Johnston 13
M. Ashraful c K O’Brien b Johnston 14
S. Al Hasan c G Wilson b Johnston 7
Mahmudullah st N O’Brien b Cusack 7
R. Hasan b McCallan 13
M. Rahim c Mooney b West 14
M. Mortaza not out 33
N. Islam b Rankin 7
A. Razzak not out 0
Extras: (w-6, lb-1) 7
Total: (eight wickets, 20 overs) 137
Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-40, 3-50, 4-61, 5-66, 6-90, 7-94, 8-117.
Bowling: Rankin 4-0-36-1, Johnston 4-0-20-3 (1w), West 4-0-25-1, McCallan 4-0-17-1, Cusack 4-0-38-1 (w-1).

IRELAND innings
J. Bray c Raqibul Hasan b Mashrafe Mortaza 2
W. Porterfield c & b Razzak 23
N. O’Brien c Hossain b Al Hasan 40
G. Wilson c Ashraful b Mortaza 10
J. Mooney not out 17
K. O’Brien not out 39
Extras: (lb-4, w-3) 7
Total: (four wickets, 18.2 overs) 138
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-61, 3-71, 4-89.
Bowling: Mortaza 4-0-30-2, Hossain 3.2-0-31-0 (w-3), Mahmudullah 3-0-23-0, Islam 2-0-9-0, Al Hasan 3-0-23-1, Razzak 3-0-18-1.