Afghanistan will face Ireland in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 on Friday, October 28, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia. The match starts at 9:30 AM IST (Indian Standard Time).
The Afghanistan cricket team lost to England in their opening game of the T20 World Cup 2022. Barring Ibrahim Zadran and Usman Ghani, none of their batters clicked against a resilient English bowling line-up.
However, even though they did not win the contest, their bowlers did a fairly good job of keeping the run rate in check while defending a low score.
Their second game against New Zealand was washed out without a ball being bowled.
On the other hand, the Ireland cricket team bounced back from their nine-wicket drubbing against Sri Lanka in their opening fixture to register an upset against England by winning the rain-curtailed encounter by five runs.
Afghanistan vs Ireland ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022
Parimatch odds: Afghanistan: 1.63, Ireland: 2.24
Betwinner odds: Afghanistan: 1.66, Ireland: 2.21
Melbet odds: Afghanistan: 1.66, Ireland: 2.21
1xBet odds: Afghanistan: 1.68, Ireland: 2.24
Note: Odds are subject to change. Please visit betting sites to check and confirm the latest odds.
Afghanistan vs Ireland head-to-head in T20Is
The two teams have gone toe-to-toe against each other on 23 occasions in the shortest format of the game, with Afghanistan winning 16 contests and Ireland emerging victorious on seven instances.
The two sides recently faced off in 5 T20Is in the Afghanistan tour of Ireland earlier this year, which the visitors won by 3-2.
Afghanistan vs Ireland ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 squads
Afghanistan: Mohammad Nabi (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicket-keeper), Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Najibullah Zadran, Qais Ahmad, Usman Ghani, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Azmatullah Omarzai, Salim Safi, Rashid Khan, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Farid Ahmad Malik, Naveen ul Haq.
Ireland: Andrew Balbirnie (captain), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Fionn Hand, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Conor Olphert, Simi Singh, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wicket-keeper), Craig Young.
Afghanistan vs Ireland probable playing XI
Afghanistan: Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicket-keeper), Ibrahim Zadran, Usman Ghani, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi (captain), Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Fareed Ahmed, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Ireland: Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie (captain), Lorcan Tucker (wicket-keeper), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Fionn Hand, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little.
Afghanistan vs Ireland in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 combined fantasy XI
Lorcan Tucker (wicketkeeper), Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie, Ibrahim Zadran, Mohammad Nabi (captain), Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Joshua Little, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Afghanistan’s top picks vs Ireland in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022
Ibrahim Zadran: The 20-year-old batter was his team’s standout player against England in the previous match. The right-handed batter scored 32 runs in as many balls with the help of three fours and one maximum. Overall, Zadran has scored 333 runs at an average of 30.27 in 14 T20Is.
Rashid Khan: The right-arm spinner has been the face of his side’s bowling attack in recent years with some exquisite performances. In the last game against England, he grabbed one wicket while giving away 17 runs. All in all, the 24-year-old has scalped a staggering 119 wickets in 72 T20Is at a respectable economy of 6.22. Moreover, 37 of those 119 wickets have come against Ireland, suggesting another good outing for him.
Ireland’s top picks vs Afghanistan in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022
Paul Stirling: The fifth-highest run-scorer in the history of T20Is has been a key component in Ireland’s resurgence to the top in this format. Stirling has scored 122 runs in five matches in this competition, at an average of 24.4 and a strike rate of 131.18. He played an important knock of 66* in the qualifiers against West Indies to help his team knock the two-time champions out of the tournament.
Joshua Little: Considering his form with the ball in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022, Joshua Little is the player to watch out for in this encounter. The Ireland pacer has taken six wickets in five games so far. Furthermore, he finished as the leading wicket-taker when the two sides met earlier this year, with seven scalps in five games at an economy of 7.00.
Afghanistan vs Ireland in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 prediction
Even though the momentum and recent form are in favour of the Irish team, the Afghanistan cricket team is expected to win this clash given their better head-to-head record against Ireland in this format of the game.
Also, Afghanistan won the bilateral series involving the two sides in August earlier this year, which gives them an edge over their upcoming opponents.
Afghanistan vs Ireland playing conditions for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022
Maximum Temperature: 13°C
Precipitation: 90%
Humidity: 79%
Wind: 27 km/h
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