India will play Ireland in the first game of the ongoing T20 World Cup at the Nassau County International Stadium in New York, USA, on Wednesday, June 5. Ireland is no longer considered a minnow in international cricket and is known to hold its own very well.
This will be both sides' first game in this tournament. Ireland can upset big teams, and India must be wary of their threat. The latter, however, have many top-quality batters in their ranks who will enjoy this match-up.
Led by Paul Stirling, Ireland are a fearless unit that will not back down from putting up a tough fight against India . The Men in Blue must be ready for every challenge. Rohit Sharma knows how to lead his boys, and their preparation has also been top-notch.
Predicted Squads
IND: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh.
IRE: Andy Balbirnie, Paul Stirling (c), Lorcan Tucker, Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Craig Young, Josh Little.
Key Players
Virat Kohli (India): Star India batter Virat Kohli, who will be expected to open the innings for his team alongside captain Rohit Sharma, is one of the biggest players to watch out for in both teams. Kohli adds a lot of star factor to the side and will be keen on piling up many runs.
Andy Balbirnie (IRE): Batter Andy Balbirnie, who will open the innings for the Irish side in the T20 World Cup this year, knows how to tackle the bowlers of India in this game owing to the brilliant 72 he scored against them in Dublin in August 2023. He is a threat, and India will hope to get him out quickly.
Match Prediction
India are the overwhelming favourites to win this game despite the threats posed by their opponents. Ireland know how to upset big teams, and India will not like to be on the receiving end of it. India should be able to win this game comfortably.