Check our Dream11 Prediction, Fantasy Cricket Tips, Playing Team Picks for 1st T20I on March 15th
After the completion of the Test and ODI series, Afghanistan and Ireland will now be set to take on each other in the 3-matches T20I series starting from Saturday. Sharjah Cricket Stadium which hosted the ODI series will also stage all the 3 T20Is.
Ireland won the Only Test by 6 wickets and the hosts Afghanistan won the preceding ODI series 2-0.
ODIs ✅T20I Mode 🔛@rashidkhan_19’s led AfghanAtalan lineup hit the ground running last night ahead of the 1st T20I against @cricketireland, scheduled to be played tonight in Sharjah . 🤩👏#AfghanAtalan | #AFGvIRE2024 pic.twitter.com/qnWYLDZQva
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) March 15, 2024
Match Details:
Afghanistan vs Ireland, 1st T20I
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Date & Time: March 15th at 9:30 PM IST and 9:00 PM Local Time
Live Streaming: FanCode
What is the Pitch Report for AFG vs IRE, 1st T20I?
Though the venue looks small, the batters will have a hard time for sure as the surface has turned out to be a bowler’s paradise these days. Every run matters here and the scores of close to 150 look competitive.
Recent form:
Afghanistan: Won, Lost, Lost, Lost, Lost
Ireland: Won, Won, Lost, NR, Lost
AFG vs IRE, 1st T20I Probable Winners:
Afghanistan are expected to win this match.
What is the Expected, Probable Playing XIs for AFG vs IRE, 1st T20I?
Afghanistan
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal / Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Mohammad Ishaq, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen ul Haq
Ireland
Andy Balbirnie, Paul Stirling (c), Lorcan Tucker (wk), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Gareth Delany, Barry McCarthy, Craig Young, Josh Little
It’s match day‼️Join us for the 1st T20I of the series against @ACBofficials.WATCH:➖ Premier Sports (ROI)➖ ACB YouTube channel (NI)#BackingGreen ☘️🏏 pic.twitter.com/7obl6QZyms
— Cricket Ireland (@cricketireland) March 15, 2024
Injury Updates:
Rashid Khan and Mujeeb ur Rahman have recovered from respective injuries and are included in the Afghanistan squad.
What are the Fantasy Cricket Top Picks, Players for AFG vs IRE, 1st T20I?
Top Pick – Batter
Ibrahim Zadran in the last two T20I series against Sri Lanka and India scored 87 and 83 respectively where he struck one half-century in each of them.
Top Pick – All-Rounder
Azmatullah Omarzai is in the reckoning for Afghanistan in the white-ball circuit. In his 33 T20Is, he has scored 285 runs and picked up 21 wickets.
Top Pick – Bowler
Rashid Khan is set to make his first appearance after the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. He has 130 scalps in 82 T20Is and even scored 370 runs with the best score of 48*.
This 👇 https://t.co/PyQtSQniRV
— Cricket Ireland (@cricketireland) March 14, 2024
Top Pick – Wicketkeeper
Rahmanullah Gurbaz has made 7 T20I appearances this year and scored 203 runs at an average of 29 with the highest score of 70.
X-Factor:
Harry Tector finished as the leading run-scorer in the bilateral T20I series against Zimbabwe, scoring 126 runs in 3 matches at a strike rate of 121.15 with the best score of 54*.
What are the Fantasy Suggested teams for AFG vs IRE, 1st T20I?
1. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, George Dockrell, Harry Tector (vc), Ibrahim Zadran, Mark Adair, Azmatullah Omarzai, Curtis Campher, Rashid Khan, Josh Little, Mujeeb ur Rahman (c), Fazalhaq Farooqi
2. Lorcan Tucker, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Paul Stirling, Andy Balbirnie (vc), Harry Tector, Ibrahim Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai (c), Josh Little, Naveen ul Haq, Mujeeb ur Rahman
The Debutant left-arm spin bowling all-rounder, Nangyal Kharoti, put on an impressive in his debut game as he returned with figures of 4/30. Here are the highlights of the memorable debut game! 👏👏#AfghanAtalan | #AFGvIRE2024 pic.twitter.com/RE5EFVOiHB
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) March 12, 2024
Pre-Match Analysis:
When Afghanistan announced their 15-member T20 squad on Wednesday, it featured the name Rashid Khan who is set to return to competition after recovering from back surgery and he will also take charge of the side. Along with him, his spin compatriot Mujeeb ur Rahman marks his return as well after missing the Sri Lanka tour due to a hand injury. Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai is the fresh face in the squad. 19-year-old left-arm spinner Nangeyalia Kharote made a dream debut, picking up 4 wickets in the 3rd ODI against Ireland included in the T20 side. The selectors are willing to provide more opportunities for youngsters and named Sediqullah Atal and Mohammad Ishaq who have played 4 T20Is between them. Afghanistan has lost their previous two T20I series against India and Sri Lanka and looking to avoid a hat-trick of losses.
This will be Ireland’s first T20I assignment this year, they last played the T20I in December 2023 where they beat hosts Zimbabwe 2-1 from being 1-0 down. Ben White replaces Theo van Woerkom which is the only change from their previous T20I series. The selectors are happy with how Ireland Cricket is progressing in the shortest format and with the marquee ICC event around the corner, they haven’t made too many changes and stuck to their settled unit. Paul Stirling will continue to lead the side and he is expecting a good show from his teammates.
