IRE vs AFG, 1st ODI: Dream11 Prediction, Playing XI Updates & Fantasy Cricket Tips - May 19th, 2019

Ahead of what will be their second World Cup, Afghanistan continue their preparations with a two-match series against Ireland with the first game set to be held in Belfast.

Afghanistan were lucky to come away with a narrow win against Scotland and would love to get another win against a decent Irish side filled with a lot of talent.

With the likes of Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi returning to the fold, Afghanistan go into this game as clear favourites although Ireland are more than capable of pulling off an upset. Here are a few tips to help you pick your Dream11 team.

---

Squads to choose from:

Ireland:

William Porterfield (C), Mark Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, George Dockrell, Tyrone Kane, Andrew McBrine, Barry McCarthy, James McCollum, Tim Murtagh, Kevin O'Brien, Boyd Rankin, Paul Stirling, Lorcan Tucker, Gary Wilson

Afghanistan:

Gulbadin Naib (C), Mohammad Shahzad, Noor Ali Zadran, Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Asghar Afghan, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Samiullah Shinwari, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Aftab Alam, Hamid Hassan and Mujeeb ur Rahman.

---

Playing XI Updates:

Ireland:

After a couple of decent outings against the likes of England and West Indies, Ireland will be hoping to secure a win against the Afghans, with Paul Stirling and Andrew Balbirnie in fine form.

The bowling unit has looked lackluster at times with Boyd Rankin being the only one who has threatened to pick wickets for them. With Josh Little out injured, the trio of Rankin, Murtagh and McCarthy should assume the bulk of the wicket-taking responsibilities along with Dockrell.

Possible XI: Stirling, McCollum, Balbirnie, Porterfield (C), O'Brien, Adair, Wilson (WK), Dockrell, Rankin, McCarthy and Murtagh.

Afghanistan:

The return of Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb ur Rahman adds a lot of firepower to the Afghanistan team which is still getting to terms with the change in captaincy.

Gulbadin Naib led the team admirably against Scotland. He picked up a couple of wickets with the ball as well and will be complemented by Rashid Khan, who is considered one of the best bowlers in the shorter formats.

The onus will be on Zazai and Shahzad to provide the impetus at the top of the order and set the tone for the rest of the match.

Possible XI: Zazai, Shahzad(WK), Shah, Ashgar(C), Nabi, Naib, Rashid, Najibullah, Mujeeb, Alam and Dawlat Zadran.

---

Match Details:

Ireland vs Afghanistan, 1st ODI

19th May 2019, 3:15 PM IST

Civil Service Cricket Club, Belfast

---

Pitch Report:

Not a lot of matches have been played at this venue and it is expected to be tough to score runs on this surface. The spinners will find the surface quite helpful. The powerplay overs are bound to have an impact with swing on offer for both sets of new ball bowlers.

---

Fantasy Tips and Suggestions:

Wicket-keeper: Mohammad Shahzad is the ideal choice with his counterpart Gary Wilson batting too low down the order for anyone's liking. Shahzad is a proven performer and should score some quick runs in the powerplay on Sunday.

Batsmen: Andy Balbirnie and Rahmat Shah are great options with both of them in very good form for their respective teams. Along with them, the likes of Hazratullah Zazai, James McCollum and Asghar Stanikzai are viable options as well to complete the batting unit.

Allrounders: Mohammad Nabi and Paul Stirling are must-have players in the fantasy team for obvious reasons, while one of Kevin O'Brien or Mark Adair can also be picked. Afghan captain Gulbadin Naib bats in the top six and also bowls a few overs, making him a smart selection.

Bowlers: Rashid Khan's inclusion is a no-brainer while the likes of Mujeeb ur Rahman and Aftab Alam are also great options to have in the fantasy team. Along with Boyd Rankin, one of Tim Murtagh or George Dockrell should suffice as the fourth and final bowling option.

Captain: Mohammad Nabi and Paul Stirling are the front-runners for captaincy with both of them doing well in previous Afghanistan-Ireland series. Mohammad Shahzad's explosiveness at the top of the order also makes him a viable option.

Fantasy Suggestion #1: Mohammad Shahzad (WK), Paul Stirling, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, James McCollum, Rahmat Shah, Andy Balbirnie, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Boyd Rankin and George Dockrell. Captain: Mohammad Nabi

Fantasy Suggestion #2: Mohammad Shahzad (WK), Paul Stirling, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, James McCollum, Asghar Afghan, Andy Balbirnie, Rashid Khan, Aftab Alam, Boyd Rankin and Tim Murtagh. Captain: Paul Stirling