PAK vs IRE: Ireland opt to bowl against Pakistan in first T20I
The match between Pakistan and Ireland is being played at the Clontarf Cricket Club
Ireland's skipper Paul Stirling won the toss and opted to bowl first in the first T20I against Pakistan at the Clontarf Cricket Club, Dublin, on Friday.
The three-match series is of significant importance as both sides will be preparing for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 which is to be played in the United States and West Indies from June 1.
Babar Azam, who was recently re-appointed as Pakistan’s white-ball skipper, will lead the visitors while Paul Stirling, a legend of Ireland Cricket, will be guiding his side.
For Pakistan, Mohammad Rizwan returned to the playing XI after recovering from a hamstring injury he picked during the five-match T20I series against New Zealand last month.
Meanwhile, experienced pacer Mohammad Amir will not feature in the first T20I as he received Ireland’s visa with a delay and couldn’t travel to the country in time.
Playing XIs
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Azam Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abbas Afridi
Ireland: Paul Stirling (c), Mark Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Barry McCarthy, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Ben White, Craig Young
It is worth mentioning that Pakistan and Ireland are in the same group in the T20 World Cup 2024.
Before this series, Ireland played a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan in March 2024 which they lost 2-1.
Pakistan's schedule of matches against Ireland
May 10: First T20I at Clontarf
May 12: Second T20I at Clontarf
May 14: Third T20I at Clontarf
