Ireland vs Zimbabwe, 3rd T20I - Preview, Predicted XIs, Match Prediction, Weather Forecast and Pitch Report

The third match of the five-match T20I series between Ireland and Zimbabwe will be played at the Bready Cricket Club in Bready, Northern Ireland. With the series level at 1-1, both sides will be eager to get a lead in the series.

Both games in the series have been closely fought contests. In the first game, Zimbabwe defeated Ireland by three runs. But in the second, the hosts bounced back resoundingly to chase down a 153-run target with nine balls to spare. That means another cracker of a contest could ensue.

Zimbabwe have been good in the series so far, with their bowlers stepping up in crucial times. In the first game, they defended their total of 118 successfully. Ryan Burl picked up three wickets, while Wellington Masakadza and Luke Jongwe chipped in with two wickets apiece.

The batsmen did well in the next game to post 152, but the bowlers failed to defend it as Ireland bounced back to level the series. In the first game, the Irish bowlers did a fine job restricting Zimbabwe to 117, but their batsmen failed, as the team fell short by three runs.

Five middle-order batsmen departed for single-digit scores, which didn’t help the Irish cause. But they turned the tide in the next game, as they successfully chased down 153 with seven wickets in hand. Kevin O’Brien led their charge with the bat, scoring 60 off 41 balls. That win should give them confidence to keep the winning momentum going.

Match Details

Match: Ireland vs Zimbabwe, 3rd T20I.

Date and Time: September 1, 2021 Wednesday, 07:30 PM IST.

Venue: Bready Cricket Club, Bready, Northern Ireland.

Weather Report

The temperatures in Bready on Wednesday is expected to be on the lower side, hovering between nine and 21 degrees Celsius. Despite the cold weather conditions, it should stay humid throughout the day. There is no chance of rain, so a full day's play can be expected.

Pitch Report

The pitch at the Bready Cricket Club ground is a belter. It is very good for batting, so the batters should enjoy batting on this surface. The ball comes nicely onto the bat, and the track is expected to stay true throughout the match. There have been some high-scoring games in the past, so another one could be expected on Wednesday.

Predicted Playing XIs

Ireland

Ireland looked off-colour in the first game, but bounced back in the next. They have a good balance, and fired in unison in the last game. Don’t expect them to tinker with their winning combination for the third game of the series.

Playing XI: Paul Stirling, Kevin O'Brien, Andrew Balbirnie (c), Harry Tector, Neil Rock (wk), Shane Getkate, Simi Singh, George Dockrell, Craig Young, Barry McCarthy, Benjamin White,

Zimbabwe

The visitors looked good in the first game of the series, but lost their way in the next. The batsmen need to step up to help the bowlers. The top-order batsmen need to contribute, in particular. Zimbabwe are also expected to field the same XI that featured in the second game of the series.

Playing XI: Wesley Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Regis Chakabva (wk), Dion Myers, Craig Ervine (c), Milton Shumba, Ryan Burl, Luke Jongwe, Wellington Masakadza, Tendai Chatara, Richard Ngarava.

Match Prediction

The hosts bounced back in the second game to level the series. Their batsmen stepped up as Zimbabwe failed to defend 153. So it could be another cracking game.

Ireland have a well-settled side, so they are expected to beat Zimbabwe in this game.