T20 World Cup 2022, Team Watch: Ireland: Key Players, Schedule, SWOT, Prediction

A
First
Round
exit
in
2021
was
a
disappointment
for
Heinrich
Malan’s
side,
and
they
will
head
into
the
2022
edition
hoping
to
make
it
past
the
first
hurdle
for
the
first
time
since
2009.

Ireland
booked
their
place
in
Australia
thanks
to
finishing
runners-up
in
ICC
Global
Qualifier
A
behind
the
UAE.

They
must
navigate
a
group
stage
of
Scotland,
West
Indies,
and
Zimbabwe
in
order
to
reach
the
Super
12
–
so
what
can
we
expect
from
Ireland
at
the
2022
ICC
Men’s
T20
World
Cup?

2022
Prospects

Progressing
to
the
Super
12
will
be
the
aim
for
Ireland.
Having
won
just
one
of
their
three
games
in
2021,
Ireland
will
be
hopeful
of
going
one
better
in
2022.

Two
wins
will
almost
certainly
be
enough
to
extend
their
stay
in
Australia,
with
the
games
against
Scotland
and
Zimbabwe
the
most
likely
sources,
and
victory
in
their
opening
two
fixtures
would
take
pressure
off
the
final
game
against
West
Indies
in
Hobart.

This
year’s
squad
is
largely
similar
to
last
year’s,
with
household
names
such
as
Paul
Stirling
and
Andrew
Balbirnie
once
more
leading
the
side.

But
Ireland
will
be
buoyed
by
a
summer
spent
playing
against
some
of
the
world’s
best
sides
in
both
T20
and
ODI
formats,
and
hope
that
will
stand
them
in
good
stead.

T20
World
Cup
History

Ireland
are
regular
qualifiers
for
the
group
stage
of
the
T20
World
Cup,
appearing
in
seven
of
the
past
eight
editions,
but
have
only
gone
further
than
the
landing
pad
on
one
occasion.

A
Niall
O’Brien-inspired
win
against
Bangladesh
was
enough
for
progression
to
the
Super
8
on
debut
in
2009
despite
defeat
to
India.

But
the
next
stage
proved
a
step
too
far
for
Ireland,
losing
all
three
of
their
matches
against
Sri
Lanka,
Pakistan,
and
New
Zealand
to
exit
the
tournament.

Since
then,
it
has
been
a
case
of
fine
margins
with
a
rain-affected
match
against
England
meaning
they
agonisingly
exited
the
groups
in
2010
via
net
run
rate.

It
was
to
happen
again
too
in
2012,
this
time
West
Indies
the
beneficiaries
but
Ireland
will
be
hoping
their
performances
in
2022
mean
they
will
need
no
slice
of
fortune.

Current
Form

Ireland
have
embarked
on
a
busy
summer
of
T20
cricket
in
order
to
get
in
the
best
shape
for
their
time
Down
Under.

Two
losses
to
India,
including
a
narrow
four-run
defeat,
gave
Ireland
plenty
of
heart
before
another
narrow
loss
against
2021
runners-up
New
Zealand.

More
valuable
exposure
to
top
opposition
in
a
two-game
series
against
South
Africa
before
a
3-2
series
win
against
Afghanistan
bolstered
hopes
of
making
it
through
the
group
stage.

Best
batters

Andrew
Balbirnie
and
Paul
Stirling
will
hope
to
lean
on
all
their
experience
and
help
Ireland
put
big
totals
on
the
board.

The
duo
have
nearly
200
T20I
appearances
between
them
and
will
hope
to
combine
for
a
solid
opening
partnership
and
set
strong
foundations
for
Harry
Tector.

Tector,
22,
has
been
playing
at
No.4
for
his
country
and
his
unbeaten
knock
of
64
against
India
was
a
snippet
of
what
he
can
potentially
bring
on
the
big
stage.

Best
bowlers

Mark
Adair
will
lead
the
attack
with
ball
in
hand,
with
the
seam
bowler
taking
72
wickets
in
T20Is
since
his
debut
in
2019.

The
26-year-old
will
be
joined
by
medium
pace
all-rounder
Curtis
Campher
and
fellow
seamer
Josh
Little,
who
made
his
T20I
debut
aged
just
16
in
2016.
Sami
Singh
and
Gareth
Delany
will
bring
the
spin
options.

Fixtures

Ireland
face
Zimbabwe
on
Monday
17
October,
followed
by
the
Scotland
match
on
19
and
the
final
fixture
against
West
Indies
on
Friday.