Last Updated on 3 months by Charbel Coorey

IRE vs SA 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IRE vs SA 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | Ireland vs South Africa 2nd T20I Key Players | Belfast Pitch Report

Quinton de Kock has been hailed as South Africa’s key man for some time now, but the superb Tabraiz Shamsi is not far behind. The wrist-spinner wrote another chapter in what is a fantastic story, winning player of the match to guide the Proteas to victory in the first T20I.

Now, South Africa have the chance to pick up three trophies out of four across tours of West Indies and Ireland. It will certainly represent success, but Temba Bavuma’s team still have areas to improve. One is the middle order, which needs to step up with the T20 World Cup looming. The other is their bowling depth, with a combination of six specialist batters, a spin-bowling allrounder, three quicks and a specialist spinner in the first T20I.

For Ireland, they are certainly not as advanced in their T20 World Cup preparations as the first T20I was their first match in this format this year. There were positivies, but they need to build on these quickly against higher-ranked opposition before matches against struggling Zimbabwe. As the series moves to Belfast, Ireland will be aiming for a big performance; the kind they showed in the ODI series.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Ireland:

• Paul Stirling has struggled for form vs South Africa (scores of 13, 27 and 11 in the ODIs, followed by 6 in the first T20I). Ireland need him to turn this form around quick at a ground he has struggled at in the past in T20Is (5 inns, 77 runs, avg. 15.40, SR 118.46).
• Andy Balbirnie was the only player in Ireland’s top four to cross 20 in the first T20I. He has three 50+ scores in five internationals vs South Africa, so Ireland will be hoping he adds another today.
• Harry Tector top-scored for Ireland in the first match (36 off 34 balls), after he had a promising ODI series (25, 79, 29). Is another 25+ score on the cards?
• Simi Singh is in career-best form. After hitting a century in the third ODI, Singh then took 2/19 in the first T20I. Key player.
• Josh Little took 11 wickets in six matches in Ireland’s inter-provisional T20 competition (2/21, 3/26, 1/32, 0/21, 3/8, 2/16). Also, he has taken two wickets in each of his three matches vs South Africa (two ODIs, one T20I), including 2/27 in the first T20I.

South Africa:

• Ireland would have been relieved to dismiss Quinton de Kock when they did in the first T20I. He had raced to 20 off just eight balls and was looking dangerous. He is one to watch again, after smashing 255 runs in five T20Is vs West Indies and a century in the third ODI vs Ireland.
• Aiden Markram is enjoying a fine year in T20Is. In eight matches, he has struck 331 runs at an average of 41.37 and strike rate of 154.67.
• Rassie van der Dussen has played plenty of club cricket on this ground with great success. He scored 1,865 runs at an average of 81 and top-scored with 190* in 2014 and 2015.
• George Linde has taken at least one wicket in each of his last five T20Is (2/19, 1/33, 2/16, 1/33 and 2/26). Lungi Ngidi (2/18 in the first T20I) continues to be a genuine wicket-taker in T20Is (35 scalps in 22 matches).
• What more can be said about Tabraiz Shamsi? He is coming off another great performance, where he took 4/27 to dismantle Ireland’s lineup. He has taken 21 wickets at just 13.28 in T20Is this year. On fire.

Stats and Facts

• The form of Kevin O’Brien is a significant concern. He has scored just 27 runs in six internationals this year after his golden duck in the first T20I. Also, he scored just 47 runs in six matches with a top score of 16 in Ireland’s inter-provisional T20 competition, and averages just six with the bat in eight innings on this ground. Can he turn it around today?
• Mark Adair was Ireland’s leading wicket-taker in the first T20I (3/39).
• South Africa will be the first top-eight team to play a T20I on this ground. The last T20I here was back in 2015.

Possible Playing 11

Ireland are likely to stick with the same XI.

Ireland: 1. Paul Stirling, 2. Kevin O’Brien, 3. Andy Balbirnie (c), 4. Harry Tector, 5. George Dockrell, 6. Lorcan Tucker (wk), 7. Shane Getkate, 8. Simi Singh, 9. Barry McCarthy, 10. Josh Little, 11. Craig Young

South Africa could look to persist with the same XI as well.

South Africa: 1. Quinton de Kock (wk), 2. Temba Bavuma (c), 3. Janneman Malan, 4. Aiden Markram, 5. Rassie van der Dussen, 6. David Miller, 7. George Linde, 8. Kagiso Rabada, 9. Lizaad Williams, 10. Lung Ngidi 11. Tabraiz Shamsi

Civil Service Cricket Club Stormont Belfast Pitch Report and Weather

The Civil Service Cricket Club hosted T20Is between Ireland Women and Scotland Women earlier this year, where the top score was 137 in four matches. The hot conditions recently means that the pitch will likely be devoid of any moisture, which should make for good batting conditions.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

Option 2:

Match Prediction

Ireland had their good moments, but South Africa have the experience and quality to prevail as winners. The Proteas to win.