A Thrilling Encounter at The Village, Dublin

In a thrilling encounter at The Village, Dublin, India displayed their dominance against Ireland in the 3rd T20I. Despite a minor blip in the opening T20I, India bounced back strongly in the second game, securing an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. Now, with the series secured, the final T20I presents an opportunity to provide game time to the fringe players. Both teams fielded unchanged XI in the second game, but changes are expected for this crucial encounter.

The Indian Batting Lineup

India is likely to stick with their current batting lineup, with no reserve batter available. The team management aims to give ample playing time to talents like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Tilak Varma, as all three are contenders for the upcoming World Cup. However, the performances of Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar have left room for potential changes. Players like Shahbaz Ahmed and Jitesh Sharma might get a chance in the playing XI. Jitesh, in particular, has impressed in the IPL and is eager to make his international debut, possibly as a pure batter if Sanju Samson gets another opportunity.

Bowling Department

In the bowling department, Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna, although focused on bigger goals in the Asia Cup, would prefer more game time after returning to the national setup. This might keep Mukesh Kumar and Avesh Khan on the bench unless Arshdeep Singh is replaced.

Selection Decisions for Ireland

The hosts also have some selection dilemmas, especially with Harry Tector’s recent form. Ross Adair, with an impressive strike rate in T20 cricket, could be a valuable addition to the lineup. Gareth Delany might also fancy his chances if George Dockrell isn’t bowling.

Match Details

When: Ireland vs India, 3rd T20I, August 23 at 3 PM local time, 7:30 PM IST

Where: The Village, Dublin

Pitch Conditions: Expect a good batting surface with a chance of rain. While rain may not significantly impact the game, it could influence the toss decision.

Probable Playing XIs

Ireland: Ross Adair, Paul Stirling (C), Andrew Balbirnie, Lorcan Tucker (WK), Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Craig Young, Theo van Woerkom, Benjamin White

India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (WK), Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma/Shivam Dube, Shahbaz Ahmed/Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Prasidh Krishna, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh/Mukesh Kumar

Squads

Ireland Squad: Andrew Balbirnie, Paul Stirling (c), Lorcan Tucker (wk), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Craig Young, Joshua Little, Benjamin White, Gareth Delany, Fionn Hand, Ross Adair, Theo van Woerkom

India Squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah (c), Ravi Bishnoi, Mukesh Kumar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Jitesh Sharma, Avesh Khan

Dublin Cricket Stadium T20 Records

The Village, Dublin, has witnessed 16 men’s T20I games. India has played four T20 matches at this venue, all against Ireland, and won every one of them. This tour marks India’s third visit to Ireland, following their previous tours in 2018 and 2022.

• Total T20I matches played: 16
• Matches won by the team batting first: 7
• Matches won by the team batting second: 9
• Highest team score while batting first: Scotland – 252/3 (20) vs. Netherlands, 2019
• Lowest score while batting first: Nepal – 93/10 (20) vs. PNG, 2015
• Biggest total chased: Ireland chased 193 vs. Scotland, in 2019
• Lowest Score Defended: Hong Kong defended 129 vs. Ireland in 2015
• The Village, Dublin, average 1st innings score in T20I: 167
• Dublin Stadium average 2nd innings total in T20I: 146
• Best bowling figures for a spinner: Kuldeep Yadav (IND) – 4/21 vs. Ireland, 2018
• Best bowling figures for a pacer: Mudassar Bukhari (NED) – 4/28 vs. Ireland, 2015
• Highest score by a batsman: George Munsey (SCO) – 127*(56) vs. Netherlands, 2019

The Village, Dublin Pitch Report for IND vs IRE T20

The recent T20 records at Village Cricket Stadium suggest it’s a paradise for batsmen. With an average 1st innings score of 167, expect plenty of runs in the upcoming 3-match T20 series at Malahide. Bowlers might not find much assistance from the surface, but spinners could play a crucial role in the middle overs. Chasing a total hasn’t been tough at The Village, Dublin, as witnessed in the last T20I match here when Ireland came close to chasing down 225 against India. However, India managed to restrict Ireland to 221, securing a narrow victory by 4 runs. Therefore, bowling first could be a wise decision in the upcoming IND vs IRE T20 at Dublin pitch.