Ireland Tour of Bangladesh

1st ODI: BAN vs IRE

Preview

The first ODI between Bangladesh and Ireland will be played on Saturday, 18th March 2023, at 01:30 PM IST in Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.

Tamim Iqbal's team lost the first two ODIs against England, but they have since gone on an incredible run. The Bangladeshi captain would want to keep up the same momentum after their rout of England in the T20 series. They have a solid record versus Ireland, so they'll want to start quickly and make an upper hand in this match.

Tamim Iqbal can smash the ball powerfully and wants to give his team an intense opening with Litton Das. With Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib al Hasan, and Mushfiqur Rahim in their middle order, they have a solid and seasoned group that the team will look to get runs. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Afif Hossain, and Mahmudullah strengthen the side further down the order.

With the new ball, Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman must slow down the scoring pace and take early wickets. The team's most seasoned bowler, Shakib, is crucial in the middle overs with Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Mahmudullah and Ebadot Hossain will have to perform well in the supporting roles.

Andrew Balbirnie would want to see his teammates perform strongly in this game. The last ODI series they played against Zimbabwe ended in a draw. Their batters would be put to the test by the local circumstances, and the Irish captain wants to see a committed effort from his team. Bangladesh needs consistency, and Balbirnie intends to take advantage of it.

For the team to be in a good position in this game, Paul Stirling and Stephen Doheny must provide a solid first-wicket partnership. Next, Harry Tector and George Dockrell must help Balbirnie add runs while also serving as the middle order's anchor for the inning. Finally, in the last few overs of the innings, Curtis Campher and Lorcan Tucker will be expected to score many runs quickly.

The Bangladeshis have a strong batting lineup, so the bowling attack must be on its toes. With the new ball, Andy McBrine and Mark Adair must produce breakthroughs. Delany is a seasoned bowler who must perform well with Harry Tector in the middle overs.

Moreover, Campher, Dockrell, and Fionn Hand should provide powerful spells for the squad.

Hosts Bangladesh will want to get off to a fast start against Ireland in the first encounter of the three-match series. The recent 3-0 T20 series victory over England will inspire Bangladesh, who have been playing at their best. However, Ireland hasn't routinely played ODI cricket in the last 12 months, so playing on these turning wickets, which their players aren't accustomed to, will be a significant task for the team.

Throughout the last year, Ireland's ODI cricket performance has been dismal. The group, which is accustomed to playing on fast tracks, will struggle in these situations when the ball twists abruptly. However, the players are confident since Bangladesh has a strong history at this location. The series' opening game will feature intense competition between the two teams.

Match Details

Match: BAN vs IRE,1st ODI, Ireland Tour of Bangladesh

Date: Saturday, 18th March

Time: 01:30 PM

Venue: Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Sylhet

Pitch & Weather Report 

The second innings' batting would be difficult due to the pitch. The wicket slows down, making chasing difficult. The team batting first would benefit in these instances. So, the team that wins the toss in this match will choose to bat first.

The bowlers have had success at this ground in the past. The best current example of this is the recently held Bangladesh T20 League. So it is an excellent place for them to bowl. With the new ball, fast bowlers do well; spinners love bowling and have succeeded. Batters must stay close to the wicket, and alternate strokes to follow at this location.

On March 18, Sylhet will have bright skies, with temperatures of 19℃ and 31℃ with a wind speed of 5 km/h in the northeast direction. It is anticipated a level playing field where batters may score runs.

The surface will have an underlying slowness that will help the spinners. To feel confident about the game, the team batting first should aim for 300 runs or higher.

BAN vs IRE Squads

BAN: Tamim Iqbal (Captain), Litton Kumer Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain, Yasir Ali Chowdhury, Towhid Hridoy, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Zakir Hasan.

IRE: Andrew Balbirnie (C), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Fionn Hand, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Tom Mayes, Andrew McBrine, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White.

BAN vs IRE: Probable XIs

BAN: Tamim Iqbal (c), Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Ebadot Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasum Ahmed

IRE: Andrew Balbirnie (c), Paul Stirling, Stephen Doheny, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Harry Tector, George Dockrell, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Fionn Hand, Andy McBrine

Match Prediction

Ireland sets off on a difficult trip. The sluggish pitch here would make scoring runs difficult for their batters. For the bowlers to defend, they need to rotate the strike and score runs. Bangladesh plays at home and is familiar with the surroundings. They will defeat Ireland in this game because of their potent spin-bowling assault. Bangladesh to triumph as per Prediction.

Suggested Playing XI Real11 Fantasy Cricket