India Aim Record World Cup Win Against Ireland

It will also be a chance for Indian batsmen to change their poor track record at the Seddon Park where they have won only two of the eight ODIs and Virender Sehwag’s hundred in 2002-03 is the only three-figure mark achieved by an Indian batsman.

For Ireland, it will be a golden opportunity to make it to the last eight but for that they would have to either beat India tomorrow or Pakistan in the next game which is a tall order.

Ed Joyce, who has played ODIs for England has been their prime performer with 233 runs from four games while Andy Balbirnie with 219 runs hasn’t been far behind.

Their mercurial big-hitter Kevin O’Brien has fired only once in the tournament so far and would ideally like him to do more. Ditto for his brother Niall O’Brien who played a good hand in their shock win over the West Indies.

However the Irish bowling in absence of pacer Boyd Rankin (who played a Test match during last Ashes tour) doesn’t have the necessary firepower to trouble India. It will depend a lot on seamer-all-rounder Alex Cusack (6 wickets) and left-arm spinner George Dockrell (5 wickets) but they don’t have enough experience or guile to stop a formidable Indian batting line-up.

In all, another contest heavily loaded in India’s favour.

Teams (From)

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Axar Patel, Ambati Rayudu, Stuart Binny, Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Ireland: William Porterfield (captain), Andy Balbirnie, Paul Stirling, Niall O’Brien, Kevin O’ Brien, Ed Joyce, Peter Chase, Alex Cusack, George Dockrell, John Mooney, Max Sorensen, Stuart Thompson, Gary Wilson, Craig Young Andy McBrine.

Match Starts: 7 am (IST).

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