ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan cricket team will have its hands full with a confident Ireland squad today, Sunday, when it takes the field against the minnows for the second T20I of the series after suffering a shock defeat on Friday.
Ireland beat Pakistan for the first time in a T20I fixture in the series opener on Friday, courtesy of a heroic 77-run knock by Andy Balbirnie that helped the home side win by five wickets against Babar Azam’s squad.
The defeat was a blow for the South Asian squad as it prepares for the upcoming Men’s T20 World Cup scheduled to take place from June 2 in the United States and West Indies, by playing separate cricket series against Ireland and England.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Dublin on Saturday to hold meetings with the team to boost their morale ahead of the second T20I.
“Immediately after arriving, he [Naqvi] held meetings with the team captain and coach,” the PCB said in a statement on Saturday. “He will also meet the team later today.”
Pakistan are most likely to play left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir in the playing XI against Ireland today. The bowler could not play the first T20I against Ireland as he arrived in the country on Friday due to visa delays.
After the Ireland series, Pakistan will travel to England to play a four-match series against the home side from May 22-30 in Leeds, Birmingham, Cardiff and London before departing for the US for the mega event.
Pakistan will begin their World Cup campaign against the United States on June 6 before taking on arch-rivals India in a high-octane clash on June 9 in New York.
Squads:
Ireland: Paul Stirling (captain), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young
Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir (unavailable for first T20I), Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Usman Khan