Last Updated on 7 years by Charbel Coorey
Oh how awesome it is. By the weekend, India would have played their last three international matches against Afghanistan and Ireland, something that is excellent for the growth and promotion of our great game.
Ireland held a great account of themselves in their debut Test against Pakistan, and their skipper Gary Wilson wants his side to go in with a positive attitude against a cricketing powerhouse. “We will go in with the belief we can turn them over”, he says, which is refreshing and the right way to go about it. There is one thing to know about the Irish – they will give their all, and make sure they leave the field with no regrets whatsoever.
Not since 2007 have India toured Ireland, and from that one-off ODI, only Rohit Sharma (on ODI debut) and Dinesh Karthik are in this squad. Since then, India have continued to be a major threat in limited overs cricket, and with a massive series against England coming up, the men in blue would be wanting to hit their strides nice and early on tour. One interesting thing would be the make up of their side, which I will touch on a little later in this cricket preview.
Key to an Ireland win
Ireland are ready to unleash pacer Joshua Little on India’s batsmen, which will be an exciting sight. So too will Simi Singh, an all rounder with a great T20I record to date. In what will be very important to Ireland’s chances, their bowlers need to hold their own against a side possessing a glut of T20 experience.
On paper, it is not a contest. However, the beauty of T20 cricket is that it is not played on paper. Ireland’s best chance of causing a shock is by displaying strong intensity with the ball and in the field, in addition to stringing partnerships together against a potent and well-driven India attack. Can the likes of Paul Stirling, Simi Singh and Kevin O’Brien score well and fast, supported by others accumulating in the batting order?
What will ultimately be key is if the Irish can use home conditions to their advantage to make life difficult for India.
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| Kevin O’Brien has played some incredible knocks for Ireland |
Key to an India win
It’s easy for India to think further ahead to the England matches, but under the leadership of Virat Kohli, they will be sure to stamp their authority.
In my opinion, a threat could be having too many options to choose from in their side, which could muddle their strategy. The key for India begins with the make up of their side, and how well their middle order can contribute to the cause. If the top and middle order are on song, Ireland could be in for a long day on a short field.
Also, can India pick up regular wickets to make life even more difficult for Ireland? Again, a clear strategy will be key, starting with the make up of their side, and then executing the plans really well. Ahead of the England series, India will want to get things right in all stages of the innings – powerplay, middle and death overs. Not only will Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah be key, but so too Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav and Umesh Yadav (if picked), who were prolific wicket takers in IPL 2018.
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| Virat Kohli is back to lead the T20I side after the Nidahas Trophy |
Predicted teams
For Ireland, William Porterfield is expected to return after being rested in the T20Is v Scotland. Also, a decision Ireland need to make is whether off spinner Andy McBrine or medium pacer Stuart Thompson gets a run. A player to watch out for is Simi Singh, a player with roots in India, who averages 32 with a SR of 150 in T20Is. He also averages 17.50 with the ball, with an economy of just 6.63.
Ireland XI: 1. Paul Stirling, 2. William Porterfield, 3. Andy Balbirnie, 4. Simi Singh 5. Gary Wilson (c), 6. Kevin O’Brien, 7. Stuart Thompson/Andy McBrine, 8. Stuart Poynter (wk), 9. George Dockrell, 10. Boyd Rankin, 11. Joshua Little
So many possibilities for India. They could go with Umesh Yadav over Yuzvendra Chahal looking at how good he was for RCB in the IPL. Of course, IPL form doesn’t always translate to international form, but he deserves a crack. So too KL Rahul, who I believe should get in over Suresh Raina and Manish Pandey for this match. With Dinesh Karthik leading India to a win in the Nidahas Trophy earlier in the year, he deserves a shot as his international career is finally taking some momentum.
India XI: 1. Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3.Virat Kohli, 4. KL Rahul, 5. MS Dhoni (wk), 6. Dinesh Karthik, 7. Hardik Pandya, 8. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9. Kuldeep Yadav, 10. Umesh Yadav/Yuzvendra Chahal, 11. Jasprit Bumrah
Stats and Facts
- This is India’s first T20I in Ireland, and second T20I vs Ireland overall. The only T20I between the two sides was in the 2009 T20 World Cup, where India won by eight wickets.
- Rohit Sharma debuted in Ireland in 2007 as a 20 year old under the leadership of Rahul Dravid.
- This is the first time The Malahide will be hosting a T20I between two full members.
- Simi Singh, playing for Ireland, was born in India.
Prediction
It promises to be a special occasion with the match sold out and weather expected to be clear. I expect India to win well, looking at the quality in their side. However, if Ireland can be competitive, it will make for great viewing.
Here’s to a great game.
