Ireland face New Zealand in the second T20 international on Wednesday, July 20 at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast from 8:30 PM IST (Indian Standard Time).
The Irish Cricket Team lost their fourth match in a row in this format in their last game. Josh Little was impressive in the last game, picking up four wickets at an economy rate of 8.75. They recently lost the T20I series at home to India and had lost the ODI series by a 3-0 margin to the Blackcaps. Ireland’s last win in this format came against Oman in February 2022.
New Zealand won their first match of this year in this format last time out. Glenn Phillips scored 69 runs off 52 balls as the Blackcaps scored 173 runs after batting first against the Irish. Lockie Ferguson took four wickets in 3.2 overs in the run chase as the visitors won the first T20I against Ireland by 31 runs. They lost their last series in this format against India in 2021.
Ireland and New Zealand are expected to field unchanged lineups in the second match.
Ireland vs New Zealand 2nd T20I odds
Parimatch odds: Ireland: 3.50, New Zealand: 1.29
10CRIC odds: Ireland: 3.51, New Zealand: 1.29
Betway odds: Ireland: 3.25, New Zealand: 1.28
Betwinner odds: Ireland: 3.36, New Zealand: 1.31
1xBet odds: Ireland: 3.24, New Zealand: 1.28
Note: Odds are subject to change. Please visit betting sites to check and confirm the latest odds.
Ireland vs New Zealand head-to-head in T20Is
The New Zealand cricket team have won both the matches played against Ireland in this format. New Zealand won by 83 runs in the ICC T20 World Cup in 2009 in Nottingham. The Blackcaps have also won all seven one-day internationals between these two sides.
This is the first bilateral T20I series between these two sides.
Ireland vs New Zealand 2nd T20I probable playing XI
Ireland: Paul Stirling, Andy Balbirnie (captain), Gareth Delany, Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, Lorcan Tucker (wicket-keeper), George Dockrell, Barry McCarthy, Mark Adair, Craig Young, Josh Little.
New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Finn Allen, Dane Cleaver (wicket-keeper), Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (captain), Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson.
Ireland vs New Zealand 2nd T20I top picks
Ireland: Mark Adair will be the player to watch out for from the hosts. The 26-year-old has picked up 64 wickets at an average of 17.20 and scored 304 runs at a strike-rate of 116.47 in this format. The all-rounder has taken 27 wickets at home in 14 matches including two four-fers.
New Zealand: Martin Guptill is the top pick in this encounter. The opening batter scored 3323 runs at an average of 32.57 and a strike-rate of 137.03 in 109 innings in this format. The 35-year-old has 20 half-centuries and two centuries in T20Is. He scored an unbeaten knock of 45 runs against the Irish side in the 2009 edition of the ICC T20 World Cup.
Ireland vs New Zealand 2nd T20I prediction
New Zealand are unbeaten against Ireland in all white-ball international matches. The visitors will begin as favourites considering their form on this tour and overall T20I record.
Ireland ran the Blackcaps close in the ODI series but were outclassed in the last match. The hosts will be the underdogs in this match and are unlikely to trouble New Zealand at Belfast.
Ireland vs New Zealand 2nd T20I playing conditions and weather report
Maximum Temperature: 18°C
Precipitation: 6%
Humidity: 83%
Wind: 18 km/h