FANTASY PREVIEW
Follow UsIndia will take on Ireland in a three match T20I series starting August 18. All three matches will be played in Malahide, Dublin. The first T20I on Friday (August 18) is under rain threat.
Ground details and team combination
The Village in Malahide, Dublin is one of the major cricketing venues in Ireland. However, due to the lack of international cricket in the country, even this venue has hosted only three games since 2020, two of which were against India last year.
It has been a high scoring venue with first innings scores of 225, 108 (in 12 overs), 165 and 186 in the last four games.
Spinners here have picked 34.2% of the total wickets so the track has something to offer for both kind of bowlers.
Team Suggestion
While you could go for the above team, you can also choose your team from Cricket.com’s Fantasy Research Centre. You can use this tool to build your team with the help of algorithms. Then, based on your preferences, the platform will guide you through creating the ideal fantasy XI.
Captain and vice-captain suggestions
For Small leagues: Yashasvi Jaiswal (captain), Tilak Verma (vice-captain)
For Grand leagues: Shivam Dube (captain), Curtis Campher (vice-captain)
Stats That Matter
> Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Verma have been in hot form in 2023. Jaiswal has 715 runs in 2023 in only 17 T20 innings at a strike-rate of 162.9. The similar numbers for Tilak: 516 runs, 16 innings,155.4 strike-rate.
> In his brief T20I career, Ravi Bishnoi averages 15.8 runs per wicket in the first innings of the match compared to 20.5 in the second innings. Similarly, Arshdeep Singh averages 17.3 runs per wicket in the first innings and 19.3 in the second.
> Prior to the T20 World Cup Europe Region Qualifier, Andrew Balbirnie averaged only 19.5 in 22 T20I innings at a moderate strike-rate of 119.2. Since then, he has scored 108 runs in four innings against the likes of Denmark and Italy
Grand League Punts
> Shivam Dube is undergoing his best year in T20 cricket as a batter. In 2023, Dube has averaged 38 at a strike-rate of 158.3, both his highest in a calendar year. If he is sent to bat at the right time, he can create a headache for Ireland during the middle-overs. In the absence of Hardik Pandya, he can also contribute with the ball and earn you big bucks.
> Curtis Campher averages 41.8 with the bat in eight T20Is this year. He has also contributed with five wickets at an economy of 7.9. One of the best white-ball all-rounders nowadays, Camphor can create a difference in the fortunes of both Ireland and your Fantasy XI.
Probable XIs
Ireland: Andrew Balbirnie, Paul Stirling ( c ), Lorcan Tucker (wk), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Fionn Hand, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Josh Little
India: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Verma, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah ( c ), Prasidh Krishna
