Match preview: India v Ireland

2015 World Cup

Cricket365
March 12, 2015

Venue

Seddon Park, Hamilton

Team news

India go into their game against Ireland at Seddon Park in Hamilton with their quarter-final place already secured, while the Irish must win to keep their hopes of progression realistically alive.

Ireland need to beat either India or Pakistan, their final two games, to make sure they pip the West Indies to the post. The latter opponent is probably more likely though, given India are unbeaten so far.

India's fast bowlers have come to the party in a big way after their poor build up in the preceding months Down Under, and Ireland's batsmen will have to draw on every resource to combat them on a small ground.

Ireland's bowlers, on the other hand, have been relatively poor, and if Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan find their groove then runs will flow. The ground is not the biggest, as Zimbabwe showed when they made 277 against South Africa.

The sides have only met twice in ODI history, and this could be the only time Ireland face one of the Big Three teams in this tournament.

Last encounter

The first time the sides met was in Belfast in 2007 (India won by nine wickets), and the only other time was in…

World Cup meetings

…2011 at the World Cup on the sub-continent. India won that game too, by five wickets. Ireland were all out for 207, with Yuvraj Singh taking five wickets, and then he made 50 not out with the bat to see India home in the 46th over.

Key players

For Ireland, veteran batsman Ed Joyce will be key, no matter if they bat first or second. He's the most capable of keeping his wicket for a long time, and comes in on the back of a century against Zimbabwe. He also made 84 against the West Indies.

India will look to paceman Mohammed Shami for some wickets, as he took four wickets against Pakistan, two against the Proteas and three against the West Indies. He gets some hopping swing and this ground is perfect for that.

Umpires

Kumar Dharmasena and Richard Kettleborough, Johan Cloete (3rd umpire), Chris Broad (match referee)

Weather

Hot, cloudless, sunny, perfect for cricket.

Prediction

India's batsmen will take advantage of Ireland's below-par bowlers. Top of the group secured for them, certainly.