Rebecca Stokell hit her highest international score at Clontarf last night to steer Ireland to a stunning seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in their second match of the T20 tri-series.

An understrength Ireland side — missing rested captain Gaby Lewis and her injured predecessor Laura Delany — were faced with a mammoth task after conceding 176-6.

But Amy Hunter sparked the chase with a rapid 56 from 44 balls while Stokell, promoted to No3 from her usual middle order role, played second fiddle in a partnership of 51.

When Hunter fell in the 12th over, Stokell upped her tempo and with Orla Prendergast smashing 33 from 17 balls, the third-wicket pair found 77 from 40 balls to take Ireland to the brink of victory.

Stand-in skipper Prendergast was comically run out with five still needed but a scoop over mid-on from the first ball of the final over took Stokell to 60 not out from 42 balls and Ireland to their highest successful run chase in a T20 international.

“I was struggling a bit initially so I concentrated on trying to build a partnership with Amy at the start as she was hitting it really well,” Stokell said.

“We were setting ourselves small targets throughout the chase. It seemed like a big target but the outfield is very fast here, and there are smaller areas of the ground that we can target and that’s exactly what we did.

“When Orla came in I don’t think there’s anyone else you’d want to bat with in that situation. I really enjoyed it out there and I’m glad we got the win.”

The victory will give the Girls in Green confidence ahead of this month’s World Cup in England but their fielding is still a worry with another three catches being spilled yesterday.