🏏ICC Men's T20I WC 2022: Super 12 - Group 1 - NZ vs IRE - 04/11/22🏏

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Super 12 - Group 1

Ireland vs New Zealand on 04/11/2022 at 9:30 AM IST Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

Can Ireland put a thorn in New Zealand's path to semi-finals?

They've already taken down West Indies and England; can they pull off another giant-killing act?

With seven wickets in hand and 27 balls remaining against England, New Zealand were 54 runs away from sealing a semi-final spot. But New Zealand lost, and that complicates things before their final Group 1 game against an unpredictable Ireland. One more defeat, and a window opens up for both England and Australia to sneak past them into the final four.

Stability or strike rate? Williamson finds himself in the middle of this dilemma

All of New Zealand's success at this World Cup has come batting first and defending totals. Against Australia, they smacked 66 in the last six overs and then folded the hosts up for 111. Against Sri Lanka, they hammered 65 in the final five before reducing their opposition to 8 for 4.

The first time they had to go against that template, against England, their bowlers struggled early and their batters appeared to succumb to the pressure of the required rate.

New Zealand will want to rectify errors from the England game before a bigger platform, and a tougher opponent, comes calling. But pushing Ireland aside will be no mean task. They've already upset England in a rain-shortened game, not long after thumping West Indies by nine wickets and hunting down 177 against Scotland from a position of 61 for 4.

Barring Lorcan Tucker's attacking, unbeaten 71 against Australia, however, Ireland's batters have struggled in the Super 12s. Against New Zealand, they will be tested once more. However, there's nothing quite like pulling off another landmark win, even if their chances of making the semis are negligible.

Weather Forecast and Pitch Report:

While we have witnessed several rain-curtailed or even abandoned fixtures throughout the showpiece T20 event, the upcoming game is likely to see a full 40 overs of action. The Adelaide weather forecast suggests that there is no chance of rain during the NZ vs IRE T20 World Cup match on Friday.

While the cloud cover will be around 50 percent, the humidity is expected to be 52 percent, making it pleasant for the players. Temperatures will hover between 17 and 19 degrees Celsius in Adelaide during the game.

Pitch and conditions

The weather is expected to be pleasant, with no rain forecast in Adelaide on Friday. Given the long straight boundaries and short square boundaries at the venue, expect the bowlers to stay away from the shorter lengths.

Team Watch:

New Zealand

Injury/Unavailable: New Zealand have no injuries to report ahead of the game.

Tactics & Matchups: Lockie Ferguson has dismissed Paul Stirling twice in 11 deliveries bowled at the Irish veteran. Although he is more of a middle overs enforcer, it's a match-up Williamson could look to exploit.

New Zealand haven't used Michael Bracewell in this World Cup but when these sides met earlier this year, Bracewell had a series to remember with a century in the ODIs and a hat-trick in the T20Is. His participation though would seem unlikely as New Zealand don't have any room for experimentation just yet.

Probable XI: Finn Allen, Devon Conway (wk), Kane Williamson (c), Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, Ish Sodhi

Ireland

Injury/Unavailable: Ireland have a clean bill of health to report.

Tactics & Matchups: Joshua Little has dismissed both Finn Allen and Daryl Mitchell twice in T20Is in 7 and 10 balls respectively.

Probable XI: Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie (c), Lorcan Tucker (wk), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Fionn Hand, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little

Qualification Scenario: A win of any margin should realistically take New Zealand through as group toppers. If they win by one run, England would have to win by approximately 95 runs and Australia by approximately 150 runs to pip New Zealand on Net Run Rate. For Ireland to progress, they not only have to beat New Zealand but also pip them on NRR for which they have to win by approximately 105 runs and then hope Afghanistan best Australia later in the day.

T20I Head to Head: New Zealand 4-0 Ireland. The Black Caps won the only contest between these sides in a T20 World Cup in 2009. That was the only T20I encounter between these sides till New Zealand played a three-match series at Belfast in July this year.

STATS – T20

Total matches 8

Matches won batting first 3

Matches won bowling first 4

Average 1st Inns scores 155

Average 2nd Inns scores 144

Highest total recorded 233/2 (20 Ov) by AUS vs SL

Lowest total recorded 146/10 (18 Ov) by SL vs AUS

Highest score chased 170/1 (17 Ov) by AUSW vs ENGW

Lowest score defended 25/0 (4.1 Ov) by ENGW vs AUSW

Who Will Score Most Runs For New Zealand: Glenn Phillips / Kane Williamson

What they said:

"You're always wanting to get better, and cricket is a pretty fickle game by its nature. You sort of do go through different periods where there's better rhythm and then other times where you're working harder and you're trying to make sure that you're making a valuable contribution. So that's the focus. It's trying to really just continue to address what's in front of you, keep working hard, trying to make the best decisions you can to make good contributions. And staying a little bit patient with it, as well. The game forever challenges us, tests us, and we try and work hard and navigate and improve." - Kane Williamson on his scratchy run of form in T20I cricket.

"If you look back a couple of years ago, if you saw an Irish side 25 for 5, you would think, well, that game is done. You turn off the TV. We were saying we've come so far to actually get to where we got to and see Lorcan get that 70 out of 40 or whatever it was and show the Aussie boys that a couple of our boys are right up there. To do that was very pleasing and sets the boys in good stead for what's to come." - Joshua Little cites the Australia game as an example of Ireland's progression.

Did you know?

- Joshua Little is the leading T20I wicket-taker among seam bowlers in 2022. He has 36 wickets, one more than Bhuvneshwar Kumar in three fewer matches.

- Glenn Phillips has the most T20I runs (1095 in 33 innings) batting outside of the top-three since 2020

- In 23 T20 innings this year, Williamson has 491 runs at a modest strike-rate of 103.36

Stats and trivia

The only time these two teams have met at the T20 World Cup was way back in 2009, with New Zealand posting a comfortable 83-run win. Stirling is the only player from either of the current sides to play that game.

Williamson needs another 46 runs to become his country's highest run-getter across T20 World Cups.

Seems like a one sided match wherein NZ wins

Thanks for the tag, dear 🤗

New Zealand find themselves in a near must-win position; Ireland will believe that having taken down West Indies and England already, they can put one past their opponents today too. Welcome to what is a potentially banana-peel fixture for one side, with the other seeking to spoil a party or two in the business end of the Super 12s. This is Himanshu Agrawal starting this afternoon's coverage, with Ashish Pant waiting in the dugout to come out soon.

"This 2022 TW20 is extra ordinarily the best tournament. Only one game to go for each team to play in both groups and No team yet qualified to semifinal. What a contest!"