🏏ICC Men's T20I WC 2022 - Super 12 - Group 1 - SL vs IRE🏏

🏏Welcome to ICC Men's T20I World Cup 2022🏏

Super 12 - Group 1

Sri Lanka vs Ireland on 23/10/2022 at 9:30 AM IST at Bellerive Oval, Hobart.

Confident Ireland will look for another big result as they face injury-hit Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka are still the favourites, though, and the Hasaranga-Theekshana combine could yet win the day for them

Both teams have arrived in the Super 12s with a bit of confidence, but also knowing they must still prove themselves in this phase of the tournament. For Ireland, a victory here would be their second successive giant-killing act - the feather of another former T20 World Cup winner to decorate their cap. They appear to take particular pleasure in chasing, with their middle order having been excellent against Scotland, before the top order thumped West Indies.

Sri Lanka are clear favourites going in, but their trip through the qualifiers has taken a heavy toll. Dushmantha Chameera - their premier fast bowler - has been ruled out of the tournament, with other quicks also picking up injuries. Ahead of this match, two top-order batters - Danushka Gunathilaka and Pathum Nissanka - are also carrying injuries. They do have their ace spinners in Wanindu Hasaranga, and Maheesh Theekshana. But in Hobart, perhaps they will not be quite as threatening as they were on sluggish pitches in Geelong.

Sri Lanka vs Ireland Weather Forecast

The temperature in Hobart is expected to hover between nine and 12 degrees Celsius. Rain is predicted on Sunday and we might witness interruptions during the course of the game.

Sri Lanka vs Ireland Pitch Report

The pitch at the Bellerive Oval is a balanced track. The new-ball bowlers will get some movement off the surface. The surface settles in as the game progresses and the batters can play their strokes freely once they spend some time in the middle.

Sri Lanka vs Ireland Probable XIs

Sri Lanka

The Lankan side has qualified for the Super 12 stage of the competition by topping Group A and will look to keep performing in a similar fashion in their upcoming games.

Probable XI

Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Binura Fernando, Maheesh Theekshana, Lahiru Kumara

Ireland

The Irish side defeated West Indies in their last Group fixture to seal a berth in the Super 12s and will be eager to carry forward the winning momentum.

Probable XI

Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie (c), Lorcan Tucker (wk), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Simi Singh, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little

In the spotlight

Curtis Campher is most well-known for his four wickets in four balls in the World Cup last year, but in this edition, it is his batting that has helped carry Ireland into the Super 12s. He is the team's top scorer from the qualifying stage, having made 99 runs off 54 for the tournament so far. This is especially impressive because he bats down at No. 5.

How do you stop Wanindu Hasaranga? He bowls cheap overs, gets excellent wickets with his googly, fields beautifully, occasionally produces a match-turning innings. He is the joint-highest wicket-taker in the first stage, along with Netherlands' Bas de Leede, and could be on the way to another top World Cup wicket-taker placing. Ireland might do well to play him out quietly.

Stats and trivia

After 11 T20 World Cup games, Hasaranga has some staggering figures - 23 wickets at an average of 9.52 and an economy rate of 5.21.

Andy Balbirnie has been Ireland's most prolific T20I batter this year, with 518 runs at a strike rate of 132.

Sri Lanka have won both previous T20Is between these teams, including at last year's World Cup, where they won by 70 runs.

Quotes

"I'm not surprised that Ireland came into the Super 12s because Ireland was last year playing good cricket. They are getting better and better as a team and even bowling, batting, fielding, all three of the formats they're doing really well. So I'm not surprised."

Sri Lanka allrounder Chamika Karunaratne

Hello everyone!

Please note, that the match won't start until 9:30 AM IST. I will be busy in the afternoon, hence posted the thread very early. This may happen few more times during the WC.😊

Cheers..

Thank you, Raji, for the thread and for tagging me.🤗

Happy Choti Diwali &Naraka Chathurdasi to all my sports lovers. ⭐️