After emerging victorious in the first T20I match by 5 wickets, Ireland led by Paul Stirling is gearing up to take on Babar Azam-led Pakistan for the second match in the three-match T20I series on May 12, Sunday at the Clontarf Cricket Club in Dublin. (More Cricket News)
Pakistan's tour of Ireland has been nothing but a disappointment so far. The team had hoped to identify their best batters for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, but they lost the first match without displaying any prowess with the bat or the ball. Only the skipper, Babar Azam, managed to execute a half-century, scoring 57 runs off 44 balls. Saim Ayyub's 45 off 29 balls and Iftekhar Ahmed's 37 off 15 balls helped the team set a target of 183 runs. However, the hosts chased it down in 19.5 overs for the loss of 5 wickets.
Ireland powered by Andrew Balbirnie's impressive 77 off 55 balls won the match. The early dismissals of Paul Stirling (14 off 1) with only 8 runs in 5 balls and Locran Tucker (27 off 2) with 4 off 7 balls showed a different side of the Pakistani bowlers, with Naseem Shah and Abbas Afridi doing their job without any mistakes.
However, later on, Andrew took charge when the team still needed 40 runs in the last four overs and set the stage for victory, leaving the field in the 19th over at 167/5. Gareth Delany (10) and Curtis Campher (15) then did what was needed. As a result, the hosts have taken a 1-0 lead in the series.
It was Pakistan and Ireland's first encounter in 15 years. The last time they clashed was in 2009 during the World T20 tournament which was won by Pakistan.
When is Pakistan Vs Ireland 2nd T20 match?
The second match of Pakistan's tour to Ireland will kick off on May 11, Saturday at the Clontarf Cricket Club Ground in Dublin in Dublin at 7:30 PM IST.
Where to watch Pakistan Vs Ireland 2nd T20 match?
In India, the series will not be telecasted on any TV channel, but cricket fans can watch all the action via livestream. The Pakistan vs Ireland live streaming will be available on Fancode app.
Squads:
Ireland: Paul Stirling (captain), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young.
Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Khan.
