After levelling the Test series, Pakistan will be eager to replicate their heroics in the ODI format as they face Ireland in a two-match ODI series at Malahide on Thursday.
The return of Umar Gul in the ODI squad was the major talking point ahead of the 2 match series against Ireland and his inclusion will surely bolster the Pakistan bowling line up. The veteran fast bowler will return to the ODI squad after warming the benches for more than a year.
Languishing at the bottom of the table in ODIs, Pakistan need to win all the matches against Ireland and England in the upcoming series to ensure direct qualification for the 2019 World Cup.
Also read: Inzamam-ul-Haq speaks about inclusion of Umar Gul and Hasan Ali for the upcoming ODI tour in England and Ireland
Currently ranked 9th in the world, Pakistan will be eager to win the series comfortably against the minnows to ensure an easy qualification. Pakistan have also included Hasan Ali in the squad, who is yet to appear for Pakistan in ODIs but has impressed in domestic competitions.
Boyd Rankin of Ireland, who has also played for England, was ruled out of the remainder of the season due to a fracture to his left leg during training for Warwickshire. Craig Young who is making a comeback after an elbow injury will be looking to make an immediate impact.
Also read: Umar Gul makes a surprise entry into Pakistan ODI's squad for England and Ireland tour
Pakistan will be looking forward to winning the match comfortably after their heroics in the Test series. Currently ranked 9th in the world, Pakistan will hope to jump above West Indies and secure automatic qualification for the World Cup in 2019. The side is captained by Azhar Ali.
Sami Aslam and Mohammed Hafeez are the specialist batsmen who have kept their places. Along with Amir and Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah is also scheduled to feature in the upcoming ODI series, and Sarfaraz Khan has kept his place in the squad.
Team Lineup
Ireland: William Porterfield (capt), John Anderson, Peter Chase, Ed Joyce, Tim Murtagh, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Kevin O'Brien, Niall O'Brien, Stuart Poynter, Paul Stirling, Gary Wilson, Craig Young.
Pakistan: Azhar Ali (capt), Sharjeel Khan, Sami Aslam, Mohammad Hafeez, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Umar Gul, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Nawaz.
Prediction: Pakistan to win
After levelling the Test series in England, Pakistan will be clear favourites for the upcoming ODI Series against Ireland. The two-match ODI series will provide the ideal platform for the Pakistanis to express themselves and make it easy for them to qualify for the 2019 World Cup.
Head to Head:
Matches: 6
Pakistan Won - 5
Ireland Won - 1
What they said:
“It's great to have an almost full-strength squad to choose from. The bowling unit performed superbly against Afghanistan with the younger seamers in particular, putting their hands up. The return of Craig adds to that department and gives us plenty of options which is exactly what a coach wants." - John Bracewell, Ireland's head coach.
“These guys are definitely favourites but we've got a good one-day team and are hopeful of giving them a few good games. There's a lot of guys in good form in England which bodes well for us.” - Ed Joyce.
“In the last few years, we haven't played very good cricket in one-dayers. Our performances are not as consistent as in Test cricket, and we need to really improve our skills” - Azhar Ali, Pakistan captain.
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