In our new feature series - Who would have predicted that? – we are looking back at matches where there were big upsets or extraordinary individual performances that turned matches on their head.

As Ireland took on West Indies in 5th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 at the Saxton Oval in Nelson, they had earned the reputation of being giant slayers on the back of World Cup wins against Pakistan in 2007 and England in 2011.

West Indies got a taste of this medicine just about at the start of the tournament. Ireland's win opened up the group and kept Ireland, Zimbabwe and West Indies in contention for the fourth quarter-final spot.

Match Summary

West Indies 304/7(50 Overs) - Daren Sammy89 (67), Lendl Simmons102 (84); John Mooney1/59 (7), George Dockrell3/50 (10)

Ireland 307/6(45.5 Overs) - Ed Joyce84 (67), Paul Stirling92 (84); Marlon Samuels1/25 (4), Jerome Taylor3/71 (8.5)

Result - Ireland won by 4 wickets

After losing their first two wickets within a matter three deliveries, West Indies lost three wickets in a space of 14 balls and were tottering at 87/5 at one stage. However, Darren Sammy and Lendl Simmons then got together and put on a 154-run stand for the 6th wicket. Sammy registered his highest ODI score and missed out on a century by 11 runs. Simmons, however, went onto score his 2nd ODI ton and helped his team go past 300.

The two were well supported by Andre Russell, who chipped in with a 13-ball 27. The Irish bowlers, who were magnificent at the start and the middle, lost their line and lengths during the death overs. Ireland conceded 124 runs in the last 10 overs and were taken to the cleaners by the West Indian batsmen.

Fall of Wickets: 30-1 (Dwayne Smith, 7.3), 31-2 (DM Bravo, 8), 78-3 (Gayle, 21.2), 78-4 (Samuels, 21.4), 87-5 (Ramdin, 23.3), 241-6 (Sammy, 44.4), 302-7 (L Simmons, 49.5)

After losing the momentum in the final few overs while bowling, the Irish batters started off brilliantly. Porterfield and Stirling were very good, putting on 71 for the first wicket. However, even after their captain Porterfield departed, Stirling and Ed Joyce batted aggressively, adding 106 for the second wicket in just 86 balls. Unfortunately, Stirling got out in the nineties and the way he batted, he deserved a century.

Niall O'Brien then joined Ed Joyce at the crease and both of them thrashed Holder's bowlers to all parts of the park. They put on 96 runs together in just 11.3 overs, before Ed Joyce departed for 84. Even though the West Indies managed to pick up 3 more wickets in quick succession after that, Niall O'Brien made sure that there were no more hiccups and saw his team through. He himself finished with 79 off 60 balls.

Fall of Wickets: 71-1 (Porterfield, 13.3), 177-2 (Stirling, 27.5), 273-3 (Ed Joyce, 39.2), 285-4 (Andy Balbirnie, 41.3), 290-5 (Wilson, 43.5), 291-6 (Kevin O Brien, 44.1)

Ireland's chase was only the fifth time in World Cup history that a target in excess of 300 had been achieved by then and Ireland had three of those to their credit.

Teams

Ireland - William Porterfield (c), Paul Stirling, Ed Joyce, Niall O Brien, Andrew Balbirnie, Gary Wilson (wk), Kevin O Brien, John Mooney, Max Sorensen, George Dockrell, Andy McBrine 

West Indies - Chris Gayle, Dwayne Smith, Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Lendl Simmons, Daren Sammy, Andre Russell, Jason Holder (c), Jerome Taylor, Kemar Roach

Match Details

Match: Ireland v West Indies, 5th Match, Pool B, ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 

Date: Monday, February 16, 2015 

Toss: Ireland won the toss and opt to bowl 

Venue: Saxton Oval, Nelson 

Umpires: Richard Illingworth, Bruce Oxenford 

Third Umpire: Chris Gaffaney 

Match Referee: Chris Broad 

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