The three-match T20I series between India and hosts Ireland will be kicking off at The Village Stadium in Dublin on Friday. India’s star spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is making a comeback in the series and is also handed over the captaincy of a relatively younger side. The Indian side contains many new faces this time, including IPL fame Rinku Singh and Yashaswi Jaiswal, among others.
For Ireland, Paul Stirling will be captaining the squad. Neil Rock and pacer Graham Hume have been replaced on the team by all-rounders Fionn Hand and Gareth Delany. The bowling attack could be led by Benjamin White and Joshua Little.
Harry Tector will also be under the spotlight as his form has been amazing throughout, given the fact his featuring in several short-format leagues across the globe. Ireland is playing with an unchanged squad from before featuring in the T20 World Cup in Europe.
The Malahide Dublin pitch usually favors batting, giving an upper hand to the team chasing. Out of the 16 T20 International matches held at this venue, seven were won by the team that batted first, whereas nine were won by the chasing team. The ground features short boundaries, encouraging powerful shots. The highest team score in T20Is at this location is 252/3, achieved by Scotland, while the lowest is 70, recorded by Ireland.
What has happened so far?
After missing out on the qualification to the 2023 ODI World Cup, Ireland bounced back and finished in the top two of the European qualifiers for the 2024 T20I World Cup. Now, the Irish side will be starting their preparations for the mega-tournament with a 3-match T20I series against India.
After winning the Test series and the ODI series on the West Indies tour, India failed to win the T20I series in absence of senior stars Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj.
A relatively young side will be facing Ireland and the squad includes several names that will be representing India in the 2023 Asian Games and this series will also serve as a good preparation for the same.
Head to Head Record
India remains unbeaten against Ireland in T20 internationals. In the total of five matches played between India and Ireland, the latter has not managed to win a single one. India won four of these five matches on Irish soil, while one victory came on a neutral venue. Ireland’s team looks fantastic against India and will be looking to overturn records this time.
In the last T20I match held at the location, India faced off against Ireland. India managed to secure a victory, posting a total of 225/7, while Ireland made a spirited effort, reaching a score of 221/5. The intense chase came down to the wire, with India clinching a narrow 4-run triumph, although Ireland came remarkably close to clinching the win themselves.
Key Players
Paul Stirling has taken over the captaincy duties from Andrew Balbirnie
Paul Stirling (Ireland): AfterIn the last five innings in T20I, Stirling has recorded three double-digit scores. One of them is a solid half-century. His average strike rate remains at 136.20, telling about his hard-hitting capabilities and a personal best of 115 runs.
The 32-year old batter has amassed 3397 runs in 128 innings. He promises to be a top seed for the Irish side, while Harry Tector, the hero from before, will also be under the spotlight.
Arshdeep Singh (India): Arshdeep Singh had a blast in the previous T20I against West Indies. While more was expected from him, he still did a great job leading the pace attack at such a young age. In 31 innings, he has 48 wickets to his name.
The 24-year old fast bowler has risen to fame and freedom on the field with his ever-improving line and length. A lot of trust has been invested in the youngster. He will be a player to look out for on the Indian side on Dublin soil.
Predicted XIs
Ireland: Andrew Balbirnie, Paul Stirling ©, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, Fionn Hand, George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little, Benjamin White
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson (wk), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah ©
Prediction
Everything points to India winning this game, including history, team strength, and current form. Thanks to the exposure that all of these players have had from the IPL, India appears to be winning this match with ease. Ireland has a lot of confidence after making the world cup, but an unexpected result in this game is highly doubtful.
As there are many new faces on the Indian side, Ireland is pretty strong with an experienced yet stable selection. This will also ensure that Bumrah is on his toes as the match will surely go down to the wire.