Orla Prendergast of Ireland (AP Photo)

Ireland finally ended their long wait for a win at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, beating West Indies by six wickets in Bristol on Saturday to register their first win in the tournament after a 12-year 21-match losing streak.The result not only marked a historic milestone for Ireland but also had a major impact on the race to the semi-finals. A win will ensure West Indies’ place in the last four. Instead, the defeat gave defending champions New Zealand a lifeline. The White Ferns can now qualify for the semi-finals if they beat England on Saturday, while an England win would still send the West Indies through.Ireland’s win capped a memorable weekend for the country as the men’s team defeated India for the first time in a T20I in Belfast.After restricting West Indies to 128/7, Ireland reached the target with 11 balls to spare. Orla Prendergast gave another match-winning performance, opening the innings with a brilliant inning of 63 runs in 44 balls. Her innings had Ireland firmly in control before she was out with only 21 runs required.Rebecca Stokell and Louise Little kept their composure during the closing stages, with the latter hitting a winning boundary at mid-on to seal a famous victory as Ireland finished on 129/4.Earlier, West Indies struggled to build momentum after being sent in to bat and could only manage 128/7 despite good starts from several batsmen. Ireland’s disciplined bowling and fast fielding ensured that the Caribbean team never managed to gain momentum, leaving them with low scores to defend.