The T20 Series with Afghanistan is the first game of several fixtures for the Irish side in India this month.
The T20 Series with Afghanistan is the first game of several fixtures for the Irish side in India this month.
Ireland will play 3 T20Is, 5 ODIs and their crucial Intercontinental Cup fixture with Afghanistan over a three week period, so both sides will be desperate to get their campaign off to a good start tomorrow.
The last time these teams met, it was in the Desert T20 final back in January in the UAE. Contests between these sides have been tight over the past couple of years. This is highlighted by the controversial 2-2 drawn ODI series in Ireland during the summer of 2016.
Ireland
The Irish men’s team has had a positive start to 2017. They reached the final of the Desert T20 Challenge in the UAE in January, beating the UAE, Namibia and Scotland on their way to the final. They have followed it up with a 2-0 ODI series win over the UAE last week. The batting line-up was boosted by the return of Andrew Balbirnie from injury. He scored 58*(67) to help Ireland win by 8 wickets. There are now many spin options for Ireland in their bowling attack. George Dockrell, Andrew McBrine and Jacob Mulder will prove to be excellent choices in sub continental conditions.
Key Player: William Porterfield:
The Irish captain has returned to form with the bat after his performances against the UAE last week. He made his 8th ODI hundred in the first match of the series, scoring exactly 100 at the top of the order to help Ireland win by 85 runs. Porterfield also made 76 in the 2nd ODI, so he will be feeling good leading into the first game tomorrow.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan has had a good run of form in 2017. They won the inaugural Desert T20 Challenge in the UAE in January. They won against Scotland, the Netherlands and Oman where they went unbeaten throughout the campaign. They followed this up by a 3-2 ODI series win over Zimbabwe earlier this month. Rashid Khan was picked up by the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the recent IPL auction and also impressed against Zimbabwe, taking 10 wickets with a strike rate of 15.70. he will be a bowler that Ireland will have to deal with well if they are to make strong totals.
Key Player: Mohammad Nabi
The former captain has been playing well running into these fixtures. He made 115 runs with the bat at a strike rate of 92.74 and took 10 wickets with the ball at an average of 11.50 in the successful ODI series with Zimbabwe. Nabi was also picked up by the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the recent IPL auction, being the first Afghanistan player to be a part of an IPL side. It would be expected that Nabi will be a crucial player for the Afghanistan side.
Ireland T20I Squad:
William Porterfield (C) Peter Chase, George Dockrell, Jacob Mulder, Andrew McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Kevin O’Brien, Boyd Rankin, Paul Stirling, Greg Thompson, Stuart Thompson, Lorcan Tucker, Gary Wilson, Craig Young.
Fixtures:
8th March –1st T20I Afghanistan v Ireland
Time: 08:30 GMT
Venue: Greater Noida Stadium, India
10th March –2nd T20I Afghanistan v Ireland
Time: 08:30 GMT
Venue: Greater Noida Stadium, India
12th March –3rd T20I Afghanistan v Ireland
Time: 08:30 GMT
Venue: Greater Noida Stadium, India
Yes
Connaught
