Ireland ready for inaugural Test against Pakistan

Ireland prepare to play against Pakistan at Malahide in Dublin from Friday in what will be a momentous first Test match for a country with a rich tradition of the game.
The European side will become the first to debut in Tests since Bangladesh did so in November 2000 against India, after being awarded Full Member status last June along with Afghanistan.
The match will be Ireland’s first step towards being ranked on the ICC Test Team Rankings while providing their players with the opportunity to make an entry into the individual rankings with strong performances against the seventh-ranked side.
Ireland captain William Porterfield: “It is a massive occasion for everyone involved in Irish cricket., something that we have built up to for a long time, since the decision was made in June 2017 to get across the line in terms of Full Membership. Everyone has been looking forward to this week, so it is a big occasion for all involved.
“For the 11 lads who will take the pitch, it will be a fantastic occasion for them and their families but we have to also remember everything that has gone before in Irish cricket in terms of getting us to this stage, over the years.
“You’ve got a lot of past players – some of them are here with us, some aren’t, but we have to remember and recognise what they have done to get us to this stage because if it wasn’t for them, and everything that they have done, we would not have been lucky enough to be taking the field, come Friday.”
Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed: “It is a privilege to be a part of this historic Test match and all of us are really looking forward to it. Ireland, who have a great tradition of cricket, are playing at home and I wish them all the best in this big moment.
“Ireland players feature prominently in the ICC ODI and T20I player rankings, and I am confident that in due course they will also make their mark in the Test rankings.”
Pakistan will gain one point with a win against Ireland and reach 87 points while a draw will see them slip to 84 and a loss to 81 points. The table is led by India at 125 points with South Africa placed second at 112. Australia (106) and New Zealand (102) are placed third and fourth.
As for the ICC Test Player Rankings, Pakistan opener Azhar Ali will be the top-ranked batsman in in the Dublin Test. Asad Shafiq (joint-25th) and captain Sarfraz Ahmed (32nd) are the others in the top-50 while upcoming left-hander Sami Aslam would be hoping to improve his position of 74th on the table.
Leg-spinner Yasir Shah leads Pakistan’s pack of bowlers at 16th position, while fast bowlers Mohammad Abbas (37th) and Mohammad Amir (39th) are the other prominent names in the team for Pakistan, who were top-ranked in Tests in August 2016.
As for Ireland, players like captain William Porterfield and his opening partner Ed Joyce, all-rounders Paul Stirling and Kevin O’Brien, and fast bowler Tim Murtagh would all be looking to make a fine start to their Test careers, having achieved decent rankings in the shorter formats.
In ODIs, Stirling (35th), Joyce (42nd), Kevin O’Brien (51st) and Porterfield (58th) are the leading batsmen while Murtagh (20th), off-spinner Andy McBrine (42nd), Boyd Rankin (58th) and George Dockrell (63rd) are the leading bowlers.
Joyce, who has also represented England in international cricket, is the most experienced Ireland player in first-class cricket, having played 254 matches, scoring 18,414 runs with 47 centuries. Among bowlers, Murtagh goes in with the considerable experience of having taken 712 wickets in 210 first-class matches.
ICC Test Team Rankings (as of 9 May, before the Ireland-Pakistan Test)
Rank Team Points
1 India 125
2 South Africa 112
3 Australia 106
4 New Zealand 102
5 England 98
6 Sri Lanka 94
7 Pakistan 86
8 Bangladesh 75
9 Windies 67
10 Zimbabwe 2
(Developed by David Kendix)
MRF Tyres ICC Test Player Rankings (as of 9 May, before the Ireland-Pakistan Test):
Batsmen (top 10)
Rank Player Team Pts Avge Highest Rating
1 Steve Smith Aus 929 61.37 947 v SA at Durban 2018
2 Virat Kohli Ind 912! 53.40 912 v SA at Johannesburg 2018
3 Joe Root Eng 867 52.63 917 v Aus at Trent Bridge 2015
4 Kane Williamson NZ 847 50.35 893 v Aus at Perth 2015
5 David Warner Aus 820 48.20 880 v NZ at Perth 2015
6 AB de Villiers SA 813 50.66 935 v Aus at Port Elizabeth 2014
7 C. Pujara Ind 810 50.51 888 v SL at Nagpur 2017
8 Dean Elgar SA 784! 42.58 784 v Aus at Johannesburg 2018
9 Aiden Markram SA 759*! 55.55 759 v Aus at Johannesburg 2018
10 Azhar Ali Pak 755 46.62 787 v Aus at Melbourne 2016
Other selected rankings
Rank Player Team Pts Avge Highest Rating
25= Asad Shafiq Pak 617 39.71 758 v Eng at Lord’s 2016
32 Sarfraz Ahmed Pak 608 40.14 715 v SL at Galle 2015
74 Sami Aslam Pak 410* 31.58 468 v NZ at Hamilton 2016
Bowlers (top 10)
Rank Player Team Pts Avge Highest Rating
1 Kagiso Rabada SA 897 21.59 902 v Aus at Port Elizabeth 2018
2 James Anderson Eng 891 27.36 896 v Win at Lord’s 2017
3 Vernon Philander SA 845 21.46 912 v Ind at Johannesburg 2013
4 Ravindra Jadeja Ind 844 23.73 899 v Aus at Ranchi 2017
5 R. Ashwin Ind 803 25.56 904 v Eng at Mumbai 2016
6= Morne Morkel SA 800! 27.66 800 v Aus at Johannesburg 2018
Pat Cummins Aus 800*! 23.81 800 v SA at Johannesburg 2018
8 Trent Boult NZ 795 27.84 825 v Eng at Lord’s 2015
9 Rangana Herath SL 777 28.18 867 v Zim at Harare 2016
10 Neil Wagner NZ 765 28.26 785 v Win at Wellington 2017
Other selected rankings
Rank Player Team Pts Avge Highest Rating
16 Yasir Shah Pak 704 29.44 878 v Eng at Lord’s 2016
37 M. Abbas Pak 399* 21.34 409 v SL at Abu Dhabi 2017
39 Mohammad Amir Pak 392* 32.87 658 v Eng at Lord’s 2010
All-rounders (top five)
Rank Player Team Pts Highest Rating
1 Shakib Al Hasan Ban 420 489 v Aus at Mirpur 2017
2 Ravindra Jadeja Ind 390 438 v SL at Colombo (SSC) 2017
3 V. Philander SA 371 376 v Aus at Cape Town 2014
4 R. Ashwin Ind 367 493 v Eng at Mohali 2016
5 Ben Stokes Eng 328/* 396 v Win at Lord’s 2017
*indicates provisional rating; a batsman qualifies for a full rating after playing 40 Test innings; a bowler qualifies for a full rating when he reaches 100 Test wickets.
! indicates career-highest rating
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