IRELAND head into the ICC World Twenty20 with a skip in their step after a second stunning victory in the official warm-ups.

Having thrashed Zimbabwe on Friday, Phil Simmons' men held their nerve to beat Bangladesh by five runs in Colombo yesterday.

And with all the ICC bigwigs in town, it was superb timing to beat our two closest rivals among the full members.

Paul Stirling was the hero with the bat, thumping five sixes in a 42-ball innings of 71.

And with Ed Joyce chipping in with 39, Ireland looked set for a huge score.

But having got to 109-1 off 11 overs, a perfect platform for 200 plus, Ireland fell away badly.

Just one boundary was hit in the last seven overs as batsmen came and went.

A total of 164-6 looked light on this small ground, and more so when Boyd Rankin was hit for 15 off his first over.

George Dockrell too, felt the cosh, going for 18, as Shakib al-Hasan took the attack apart.

But on 53, off 23 balls, he chipped Nigel Jones to Kevin O'Brien at long-on.

With William Porterfield reluctant to return to Rankin and Dockrell, he looked to the medium pace of Jones and O'Brien.

And the pair rewarded him handsomely, conceding just 49 in their eight overs, and O'Brien ripping three wickets out of the middle order.

"It was good to get a chance to bowl and help turn up the heat on the batsmen"�, O'Brien said afterwards.

"It's a great lift for the guys heading into the bigger games ahead."�

As the pressure built and the Irish supporters cheered every dot ball, Alex Cusack and Trent Johnston turned in superb 'death' overs.

Bangladesh had beaten Ireland off the last ball in their last two games this summer, but this time Johnston held his nerve and a confidence-boosting win has secured.