(AP Photo)
The Indian cricket team will commence its T20 World Cup journey on Wednesday, facing Ireland at Nassau County Stadium in New York. This encounter marks the fourth meeting between the two sides in ICC tournaments. While they have clashed once in the T20 World Cup, they have crossed paths twice in the 50-over World Cups.
Key Factors-
In every ICC event where Ireland faced India, former Irish captain William Porterfield consistently scored fifty-plus runs in each match.
The upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 will mark the first ICC event where India will compete against Ireland without the presence of MS Dhoni.
Head-to-Head match records in World Cups-
2009 T20 WC-
During the T20 World Cup in 2009, India encountered Ireland for the sole time on June 10th in Nottingham. Zaheer Khan delivered an exceptional performance, taking 4 crucial wickets, limiting William Porterfield’s team to a mere 112/8 in an 18-over match. In response, Rohit Sharma led the charge with a commanding 52 off 45 balls, guiding India to victory with 15 balls to spare.
2011 ODI WC-
During the ODI World Cup in 2011, the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru witnessed the clash between the two teams on March 6th. The Irish captain showcased his batting prowess, scoring a commendable 75 off 104 balls. However, his innings was eclipsed by Yuvraj Singh’s remarkable 5-wicket haul, as the Irish team was dismissed for 207 runs. Yuvraj, the ace all-rounder, also contributed with the bat, scoring a half-century, supported by significant contributions from Sachin Tendulkar (38), Virat Kohli (34), captain MS Dhoni (34), and Yusuf Pathan (30), leading India to a 5-wicket victory.
2015 ODI WC-
In Hamilton, New Zealand, four years later, India and Ireland clashed once again. Ireland’s captain Porterfield exhibited his skill, notching up 67 runs off 93 balls, while Niall O’Brien contributed with a brisk 75 off as many deliveries. However, Ireland was bowled out for 259, with Mohammed Shami claiming 3 wickets for 41 runs and Ashwin taking 2 wickets for 38 runs. India comfortably chased down the target at Seddon Park. Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan’s opening partnership of 174 runs set the tone, with Dhawan eventually reaching a hundred off 85 balls. India sealed the victory with 8 wickets in hand and 79 balls to spare. This marked India’s ninth consecutive win while chasing a target in the 50-over format.
