Dublin (Web Desk/Agencies): Ireland on Friday won the toss and decided to bowl first against Pakistan in the first game of three-match series Twenty20 International (T20I) series, being played at the Clontarf Cricket Club, Dublin.
The series is expected to provide both the teams an opportunity to put final touches to their preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in West Indies and USA next month.
Following the first T20, the next two matches will take place at the Castle Avenue on May 12 (Sunday) and May 14 (Tuesday). All the matches are scheduled to be played in Dublin.
The series marks the first time Ireland will host Pakistan for a T20I series. The two sides have previously met only once in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2009 where Pakistan won by 39 runs with Kamran Akmal receiving the player of the match award for his 51-ball 57 and two stumpings.
Both teams are in the same group for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and will face each other in Florida on 16 June. Apart from the two sides, India, USA, and Canada are also in the same group, with the top two teams advancing to the second stage.
Meanwhile, fast bowler Mohammad Amir has been issued visa for Ireland and he is expected to be available for selection for the second and third T20Is of the three-match series.
After the three-match series against Ireland, Pakistan are due to leave for England for a four-match T20I series with the matches scheduled at Headingley (May 22), Birmingham (25 May), Cardiff (28 May), and The Oval, London (May 30), both England and Pakistan will head to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. England will face Scotland in Barbados on 4 June in their opening match, while Pakistan will launch their campaign against the USA in Dallas on 6 June.
Squads
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Azam Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abbas Afridi
Ireland: Paul Stirling (c), Mark Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Barry McCarthy, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Ben White, Craig Young