Ireland will take on Afghanistan in the first ODI of the five-match series at the Bready Cricket Club, Northern Ireland, on Tuesday. Both teams will be eager to begin the series on a positive note, with Ireland hoping to make the most of home conditions while Afghanistan look to bounce back after a disappointing outing against India.
Ireland head into the series with plenty of confidence. They shared the spoils in their most recent ODI series against the West Indies before registering an impressive T20I series victory over India. Led by Paul Stirling, the hosts will be keen to continue their strong run and make an early statement against one of the strongest Associate sides in world cricket.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, endured a difficult ODI series against India, suffering a 3-0 whitewash. Following that series, regular skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi stepped down from the ODI captaincy, with experienced batter Rahmat Shah set to lead the side for the first time. The visitors possess a quality bowling attack and will be aiming to start the new era with a victory.
IRE vs AFG, 1st ODI: Match Details
- Date and Time: August 5, 3:15 PM IST / 9:45 AM GMT / 10:45 AM Local
- Venue: Bready Cricket Club, Bready, Northern Ireland
IRE vs AFG Head-to-Head Record
Matches Played: 32 | Ireland Won: 13 | Afghanistan Won: 18 | No Result: 1
Bready Cricket Club Pitch Report
The surface at Bready Cricket Club generally offers a good contest between bat and ball. Fast bowlers are expected to enjoy assistance with the new ball, as the pitch often provides seam movement and extra carry during the opening overs. Batters will need to negotiate this challenging phase before looking to accelerate.
Once the shine wears off the ball, batting becomes considerably easier. Stroke-makers who settle in can make full use of the even bounce and quick outfield, while the shorter square boundaries also encourage aggressive strokeplay. Spinners are unlikely to receive extravagant turn but can remain effective by varying their pace and bowling disciplined lines. A first-innings score in the region of 250-270 should be competitive. Considering the conditions, the captain winning the toss may prefer to bowl first and take advantage of any early movement.
Squads
Ireland: Paul Stirling (c), Andrew Balbirnie, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Benjamin Calitz, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Andy McBrine, Mark Adair, Jai Moondra, Gavin Hoey, Cade Carmichael, Liam McCarthy, Byron McDonough
Afghanistan: Rahmat Shah (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Ibrahim Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Yamin Ahmadzai, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Mohammad Saleem Safi, Nangeyalia Kharoti, Ikram Alikhil
IRE vs AFG, 1st ODI, Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- IRE wins the toss and bowls first
- AFG’s powerplay score: 45-50
- AFG’s total score: 255-265
Case 2:
- AFG wins the toss and bowls first
- IRE’s powerplay score: 40-45
- IRE’s total score: 240-250
Match prediction: Team bowling first to win the match.
