It is a big day at the T20 World Cup on Wednesday as three matches take place in the competition with the first one coming from Group A as the tournament favourites India go up against Ireland in New York.
Both these sides get their campaign started in this match and will be keen to get off to a winning start with the two teams who have already competed in this group looking confident and Pakistan still to come.
India
It is almost beyond belief that India haven’t won this competition since it was first staged in 2007 given the success and the huge beast that the Indian Premier League has become. It is probably a legacy of the leveller of the format but even so India will have expected to have won this again in the 17 years since they lifted the trophy for the only time. They are under a bit of pressure to deliver here, strengthened by their failure to win the 50 over competition on home soil at the back end of 2023.
India look to have the bowling resources to go very well in this tournament but maybe the thing which has gone against them with the IPL is that the best batters in the world have had access to the Indian bowlers in that competition and that has lessened their impact at this level. That might mean that the star power in the Indian batting unit needs to come to the fore or India need the pitches to play tough so that the extra quality of their bowlers can exploit the opposing batting.
Ireland
When you look at how the group shapes up this could be considered a free hit for Ireland. They will be expected to beat USA and Canada in their next two matches and there isn’t really going to be a way out of the section if they won’t beat those two sides. That would then set up a clash with Pakistan where you would think if they win that they go through so as long as they don’t kill their run rate here or anything like that, they can have a good go at pulling off an enormous upset.
If Ireland are going to win this match then their batters are going to need to produce the goods, especially against the Indian spinners. Ireland aren’t one of those teams who get to play against the Indian mystery bowlers very often so this will be a real test for them. It will be a test for their bowling attack as well because that is the weaker part of their squad although one member of the attack has spent the last couple of months in the IPL which is likely to help them.
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Team News
It looks as though India are going to go with Shivam Dube in the middle order and Virat Kohli up to open alongside Rohit Sharma rather than open with Yasashvi Jaiswal. They could play the extra seamer in Arshdeep Singh having watched the first game in New York.
Ireland are expected to have Josh Little back in their XI after he missed the recent series with Pakistan and in the Netherlands due to IPL duty. George Dockrell is likely to act as the second spinner should one be needed.
Betting
All eyes will be on the wicket in this match because it clearly wasn’t up to T20 World Cup standard when Sri Lanka played South Africa here earlier in the week and it needs to play better here. Ireland will probably hope it doesn’t because a low scoring nerve jangler probably gives them the best chance whereas India will hope it is a good track so that their bigger hitters can flourish. The doubt over the pitch makes this slightly awkward to bet on.
There isn’t a huge amount that interests me over the course of this match but if the pitch does something against the new ball then the most runs in a single over for Ireland line at 15.5 could be a little on the high side. The one thing we did see in that game that was previously held here is that the boundaries are on the big side and the outfield is slow so unless say Paul Stirling blazes his way at the top of the innings, which won’t be easy if the new ball does something, then this line looks a little high to me. I’ll play the under which looks a certainty if the pitch plays tough but can still land against a good Indian attack even if it doesn’t.
Tips
Back Ireland Most Runs in a Single Over – Under 15.5 for a 3/10 stake at 1.83 with Bet365
