Last Updated on 5 years by Charbel Coorey

Ireland v Zimbabwe 1st ODI Preview Dream11 Prediction. IRE vs ZIM Preview Dream11 Prediction

Two sides who played one of the games of the tournament in the 2015 World Cup have spent most of the 2019 edition watching on.

Now, they go head-to-head as they strive for attention as the race for the CWC 2019 top four continues to heat up. Ireland, who have had a number of memorable moments in World Cups – including the highest successful run chase to date, will be out to prove again that they belong among cricket’s elite. Zimbabwe, who struggled badly vs Netherlands, will be out to show that their 2-0 series defeat was a blip in their own journey to be part of cricket’s elite. Who will make the better start in this three-match series?

Download: Making cricket an interactive experience! Discover Harrison Cricket Apps ODI version. For full screenshots, click here.

Key to an Ireland win

Ireland had a great opportunity to impress in a recent Tri-Series involving Bangladesh and West Indies. However, it ended in disappointment, losing all three of their games. Their struggle with the ball was a common theme right the way through, conceding 381 and 331/5 (47.5) vs West Indies and 294/4 (43) vs Bangladesh. A decent effort against Afghanistan followed, so the onus is on the Irish bowlers to get the better of a Zimbabwe lineup that struggled to make the most of their starts against Netherlands. Can the likes of Tim Murtagh and Boyd Rankin lead the way as two of Ireland’s most experienced players? Will Ireland get the better of Zimbabwe’s experienced players – most notably Craig Ervine, Brendan Taylor and Sean Williams?

However, while Ireland haven’t had it easy with the ball, they have fared pretty well with the bat. Paul Stirling and Andy Balbirnie were two of the top five run-scorers in the recent Tri-Nations series, with two centuries between them. They will be key in getting Ireland on the front foot against a Zimbabwe side that lacked penetration against Netherlands, giving their side a strong platform for the middle overs. The likes of Kevin O’Brien and Mark Adair need to be tasked with finishing well, rather than rebuilding the innings after early wickets.

Key to a Zimbabwe win

Zimbabwe were beaten 2-0 quite easily by the Netherlands, which was a blow for them. In the first match, only Brendan Taylor made a contribution of any significance. In the second, Zimbabwe fared better with three half centuries in their score of 290. This time, can a top order player convert a start into a century? Can struggling skipper Hamilton Masakadza find the form his team needs him to? With a capable and experienced middle order, Zimbabwe need to overcome any possible movement up top to set a platform.

In addition to Zimbabwe’s batting problems, their bowlers struggled too. Zimbabwe took 10 wickets for 499 runs across two matches in the Netherlands, struggling for penetration throughout the innings. Kyle Jarvis, who took a combined 0/99 off 14.4 overs in the series, needs to deliver more for his side up top to get them in the game. His partnership with Tendai Chatara against UAE earlier in the year is something Zimbabwe need repeated, getting the better of Ireland’s top order so the likes of Ainsley Ndlovu, Donald Tiripano and the spinners can target their middle order under pressure.

Pitch and conditions

This will be the first ever ODI hosted at Bready Cricket Club. In five completed T20Is, the average score batting first is 160.2. Conditions for the day are expected to be chilly and cloudy. There has been some rain in recent days, so the pitch might offer assistance to the bowlers early on.

Possible Playing 11

George Dockrell was left out of Ireland’s squad for this ODI series. Ireland could possible play both Simi Singh and Andy McBrine, with William Porterfield to open.

Ireland: 1. Paul Stirling, 2. James McCollum, 3. Andy Balbirnie, 4. William Porterfield (c), 5. Kevin O’Brien, 6. Gary Wilson (wk), 7. Andy McBrine/Simi Singh, 8. Mark Adair, 9. Shane Getkate/Tyrone Kane, 10. Boyd Rankin, 11. Tim Murtagh

Zimbabwe: 1. Hamilton Masakadza (c), 2. Solomon Mire, 3. Craig Ervine, 4. Brendan Taylor (wk), 5. Sean Williams, 6. Sikanda Raza, 7. PJ Moor, 8. Donald Tiripano, 9. Kyle Jarvis, 10. Ainsley Ndlovu, 11. Tendai Chatara

Download: Making cricket an interactive experience! Discover Harrison Cricket Apps ODI version. For full screenshots, click here.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

Option 2:

Also read: Who will step up in West Indies vs Sri Lanka for Dream11?

Stats and Facts

• Zimbabwe have won three of their last five ODIs against Ireland.
• The last meeting between the sides was in the World Cup Qualifiers last year, where Zimbabwe won by 107 runs.
• Two Ireland batsmen can reach 4,000 ODI runs today. Paul Stirling needs 103 and William Porterfield just 38.

Match Prediction

Tough match to predict as both sides are capable of winning in a game that looks close on paper.

However, Ireland at home are always a challenging proposition, especially against an out-of-sorts Zimbabwe. Ireland to win in a tight match.

Note: All of Zimbabwe’s matches in Ireland will be live streamed.

Also read: Who will step up in West Indies vs Sri Lanka for Dream11?

Download: Making cricket an interactive experience! Discover Harrison Cricket Apps ODI version. For full screenshots, click here.

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