Team India kicks off their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign against minnows Ireland on Wednesday. The match will be played at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. India is placed in Group A alongside hosts USA, Canada, Ireland, and arch-rivals Pakistan.
Rohit Sharma-led Team India are clear favorites against the Irish side. However, cricket is a game of uncertainties, but unless something dramatic happens, India should win the contest with ease.
India vs Ireland: Head-to-Head in T20Is
Team India’s confidence is also bolstered by the fact that Ireland has never beaten them in T20Is. Yes, that’s right. In seven matches played between the two sides, India has emerged victorious in all seven of them.
The closest margin of defeat for Ireland has been by 2 runs, which came in the 1st T20I played in Dublin in August 2023. In fact, six out of the seven contests have been played in Dublin, between the two sides. The New York T20 will also be the second match between the two sides at a neutral venue. The other one was in Nottingham, also at the T20 World Cup stage in 2009.
Before the big game against Pakistan, India would look to iron out their deficiencies against Ireland. A clinical performance on Wednesday, should set the ball rolling for Team India, and also give them the confidence for the rest of the games.
Also Read: Who has a better T20 World Cup Record – Virat or Rohit?
Team India’s T20 World Cup Squad:
Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah
Ireland’s T20 World Cup Squad:
Paul Stirling (C), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andy Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Josh Little*, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock (wk), Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Ben White, Craig Young.
