Preview: Afghanistan await for giant-killers Ireland
Afghanistan v Ireland Preview | Match 25 | ICC Men’s T20WC 2022
Preview of the Afghanistan v Ireland match at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022
The famous win over England at the same ground was arguably Ireland’s greatest ever T20I win in men’s competition, and has given Andrew Balbirnie’s side a chance of springing a surprise in Group 1.
But that chance will disappear if the Irish can’t get another win on the board against a dangerous Afghanistan outfit.
Ireland won a five-match T20I series over Friday’s opponents in the summer, fittingly winning the fifth and deciding match on DLS Method in Belfast.
But the three wins in that series were Ireland’s first against Afghanistan since 2013, following a dismal run that had seen them lose 12 times on the spin before a dramatic tie in March 2020.
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Talking of spin, it is the Afghan spin trio who are likely to cause Ireland problems in Melbourne.
It was notable that England’s spinners had reasonable success despite defeat, with Liam Livingstone taking three wickets and Adil Rashid bowling tidily as the Irish struggled to cope with the turning ball. And Afghanistan’s spinners are among the most fearsome unit in the world, so more struggles could be ahead.
A loss for either side would likely end their chances of upsetting the odds and qualifying for the semi-finals.
Afghanistan
Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Usman Ghani, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Ireland
Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie (c), Lorcan Tucker, Harry Tector, George Dockrell, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Simi Singh, Barry McCarthy, Josh Little
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Mark Adair: Ireland need Powerplay wickets and while all eyes are on Josh Little, Adair's ability to swing the new ball and create wicket-taking opportunities up front makes him a genuine threat.
**Mohammad Nabi:**The Afghanistan skipper is a crucial player for them. Nabi plays a vital role with the bat in the middle order and is also a bankable bowling option. Although he couldn't do much with the bat against England in the opening game, he bowled an effective spell of 3-0-16-1. But he was seen in good batting form in the warm-up fixtures as he scored 41* and 51* against Bangladesh and Pakistan respectively.
Captaincy pick: Paul Stirling
On his day, there's no stopping Paul Stirling as West Indies found out earlier in the tournament. If there's anyone who can punch a hole in the Powerplay and eat into the early Afghanistan overs then it is Stirling, and Ireland will hope that he manages to pull it off once again.
Differential Pick: Hazrat Zazai
The chemistry and power of Afghanistan opening pair | T20WC 2022
Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Hazrat Zazai of Afghanistan talk about their partnership
Afghanistan like to go big at the top of the order, and no one player personifies that strategy better than Zazai. The big hitter will look to lean into Ireland’s openers, see off any swing, and make hay with the field up. He’s a dangerous operator.
Must-have Pick: Rashid Khan
It doesn't matter which match it is or who the opposition is, you just have to pick Rashid Khan. The wrist-spinner has the ability to destroy batting line-ups on his own, as summed up by his 119 T20I scalps that have come at an outstanding average of 14.23. Rashid is also a handy batter, which means he can add a lot of value to your fantasy team with the runs he scores.