Ireland failed to make it 10 wins in a row as Pakistan ended the T20I series at Clontarf on a high with an eight wickets victory. 

The visitors chased down their target of 156 with 14 balls to spare thanks an undefeated century by wicket-keeper and opening batter Muneeb Ali. She was helped by three dropped catches – the simplest the first when she was on 51 - as Ireland’s fielding let them down for the first time in the series.

Muneeb brought up her 100 with the winning run, from 68 balls with 14 fours and a six after an unbroken stand of 101 with Aliya Riaz who scored 39. Ava Canning and Lara McBride were the Ireland wicket-takers with Prendergast the unluckiest of the other bowlers, on the receiving end of two of the dropped catches.

Prendergast was Ireland’s top scorer, finishing 64 not out from 46 balls – although she also enjoyed a life on 40 - with eight boundaries, a tally matched by skipper Gaby Lewis, playing her 100th T20I, in her innings of just 36 which allowed Ireland to score 52 in the powerplay.

However from 79 for one at halfway, Ireland could not even double their score and that, in the end, proved fatal. Indeed, they needed 15 off the last over just to get to their final total of 155 for four as Leah Paul and Rebecca Stokell both perished in the late rush for runs.

Freya Sargent was the only change in the Ireland team, replacing Jane Maguire, last ball heroine of the second match, and returning from injury the off spinner got her first two international overs of the summer, conceding 17 runs.

Despite the defeat it was the second consecutive time that Ireland had won a series against Pakistan 2-1 and now the squad have a short break before they head to the Netherlands for the all-important European T20 World Cup qualifiers which start on August 20.