🏏ICC T20I Men's WC 2024: Match 13: CAN vs IRE, NY @ 8:00 PM IST🏏

🏏ICC T20I Men's WC 2024: Match 13: Canada vs Ireland at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York on 07/06/2024 @ 8:00 PM IST🏏

[Tag and Logo Credit to Wildestdreams]

Canada, Ireland search for first points with focus on New York pitch

Harry Tector could be a doubtful starter after injuring his thumb against India

All eyes on New York pitch

It's been a rough start for cricket in New York with more focus on the pitches than the cricket that has been played on them. No team has gone past 100 at this venue in four innings, with uneven bounce and prodigious movement up front bringing about plenty of criticism.

The fast bowlers have so far held sway here, having picked up 18 of the 26 wickets to fall while going at an economy rate of 5.46. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 77 here on June 3 and South Africa took 16.2 overs to chase that down. On Wednesday, India rolled out Ireland for 96 and while their chase was slightly more comfortable, Rohit Sharma retired hurt after being struck on the upper arm, while Rishabh Pant was also hit on his elbow and required some attention.

Just two days later, as Ireland gear up to play another fixture in New York against Canada, the build-up has entirely centred around the pitch.

"It's tough to adjust when you don't know what you have to adjust to," Ireland head coach Heinrich Malan said after their eight-wicket loss against India. "You've got to take into account that when you play the game you need a really good surface or as good as surfaces you can get and unfortunately what we've seen over the last couple of games just doesn't necessarily live up to that. So hopefully, over the next day or so it can hopefully flatten out a little bit and we can see some good cricket come Friday."

It is an important game for both Canada and Ireland, who have suffered losses in their opening games. Another loss here and the road to Super Eights becomes challenging. Canada, who played their opening fixture in Dallas where they went down to USA in a high-scoring clash, haven't been in great T20I form. They have lost each of their last five T20Is, and all the pitch talk here might not bode well for their confidence.

"This wicket is a bit, kind of, what you can say, a tricky one. So you cannot play some of the T20 shots. So you have to play conventional cricket. And what I see, it's playing on the up, it's a little bit difficult than Dallas," Canada batter Navneet Dhaliwal, who scored a 44-ball 61 against USA, said. "It's a lot of lateral movement so there's a lot of swing comparatively to Dallas so if you kind of want to basically hit the good-length balls it's a bit difficult."

The Canada-Ireland fixture will likely take place on pitch no. 4, the same one that hosted the India-Ireland clash and the warm-up game between India and Bangladesh. In addition to the surface, the slow, sand-based outfield has also not helped the batters in any way. Which will be the first team to cross the 100-mark in New York?

Canada Vs Ireland Weather Report

The weather conditions in New York is humid, with temperature ranging from 29 dgerees during the daya to 18 degrees celcius at night. On Wednesday, the city saw rain, and today there is 40 percent of rain with an expected wind speed of around 19 km/h. The expected temperature during the match might measure in between 25 to 27 degrees celcius.

Canada Vs Ireland Pitch Report

The picth of the Nassau County International cricket stadium has brought several crticism for the uneven bounce, and movements. For the batters the field is not favourable since no one has gone past 100 at this venue in four innings played so far. However, for the bowlers, the pitch proved to be good.

Pitch and conditions

It's another early-morning start in New York and the weather looks good for a game of cricket. The temperature is likely to hover around the 29-degree (Celsius) mark. Expect it to be a little humid as well.

In the spotlight - Dilon Heyliger and Mark Adair

Dilon Heyliger's all-round abilities could be useful for Canada. He has been in good bowling form this year, having picked up five wickets in as many games while going at a tick over eight an over. His medium-pace and wicket-to-wicket lines might be perfect on this New York surface. So can his lower-order ball-striking. No other Canada batter has a higher strike rate than Heyliger in T20Is since the start of 2023 - 243.75. He's hammered 117 runs off just 48 balls, with most of them coming in the death overs.

Mark Adair has been in excellent form this year. He is comfortably Ireland's highest wicket-taker in 2024 with 18 scalps in 10 T20Is and an economy rate of 8.16. Moreover, he knows the kind of lengths to bowl on this surface having bowled four overs for just 27 runs on Wednesday while also picking up the key wicket of Virat Kohli.

Team news

Both teams might want to go pace-heavy on this surface. Offspinner Nikhil Dutta went for 41 runs in 2.4 overs in Canada's opening game, so there is a chance they could bring in left-arm fast bowler Rishiv Joshi to boost their pace-bowling resources.

Canada (probable XI): 1 Aaron Johnson, 2 Navneet Dhaliwal, 3 Pargat Singh, 4 Nicholas Kirton, 5 Shreyas Movva (wk), 6 Dilpreet Bajwa, 7 Saad Bin Zafar (capt), 8 Dilon Heyliger, 9 Nikhil Dutta/Rishiv Joshi, 10 Kaleem Sana, 11 Jeremy Gordon.

There was visible bruising on Harry Tector's right thumb after he was struck by a rip-roaring Jasprit Bumrah bouncer. Ireland batting coach Gary Wilson said Tector seemed fine after an initial inspection, but a call on his availability for the Canada clash would be taken a bit later. If he does not recover in time, Ireland might bring Ross Adair into the mix.

Ireland (probable XI): 1 Paul Stirling (capt), 2 Andy Balbirnie, 3 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 4 Harry Tector/Ross Adair, 5 Curtis Campher, 6 George Dockrell, 7 Gareth Delany, 8 Mark Adair, 9 Barry McCarthy, 10 Josh Little, 11 Ben White.

Stats and trivia

• Canada and Ireland have a 2-2 head-to-head record in T20Is, but haven't met since 2019. Their last T20I was back in 2013.
• Canada captain Saad Bin Zafar has an economy rate of 6.14 against right-hand batters in T20 cricket. Ireland's line-up is entirely composed of right-handers.
• Mark Adair is sixth on the wicket-taker's list in T20Is this year, with 18 in 10 games.

Quotes

"We were probably a little bit off with our lengths with the ball, but it was going to be very difficult to defend 96. I think very rarely do you see a team get rolled and then the next innings is also very low. Speaking to [India head coach] Rahul Dravid after the game, he said that they were able to manage that so well because they knew they only had to get 96, but he also said if the shoe was in the other foot, it could have been a different story."

Gary Wilson feels the toss could be important in New York

"Drop-in wickets take time to settle down. I think normally it takes around a year or so. It's not ideal - I think it's a bit early, but still, it's a challenge. Like the par for Dallas is what, 180-190, and par for here is 120-130. It's a different wicket and a different kind of competition, you can say. It's exciting, basically."

Navneet Dhaliwal does not see anything wrong with the New York pitch

HEAD TO HEAD - LAST 4 MATCHES

Canada won by 10 runs, 23-Oct-2019

Ireland won by 2 runs, 16-Nov-2013

Ireland won by 10 wickets (with 63 balls remaining), 22-Mar-2012

Canada won by 4 runs, 03-Feb-2010

Batters To Watch(recent stats)

Aaron Johnson,  CAN

10 M • 334 Runs • 37.11 Avg • 164.53 SR

Nicholas Kirton,  CAN

10 M • 240 Runs • 30 Avg • 138.72 SR

Andy Balbirnie,  IRE

10 M • 281 Runs • 28.1 Avg • 117.08 SR

Lorcan Tucker,  IRE

10 M • 251 Runs • 25.1 Avg • 130.72 SR

Bowlers To Watch(recent stats)

Kaleem Sana,  CAN

6 M • 16 Wkts • 4.51 Econ • 8.56 SR

Nikhil Dutta,  CAN

8 M • 11 Wkts • 6.45 Econ • 12.09 SR

Mark Adair,  IRE

10 M • 18 Wkts • 8.16 Econ • 12.94 SR

Ben White,  IRE

10 M • 9 Wkts • 8.62 Econ • 19.33 SR

CAN vs IRE Probable Best Players of the Match

Probable Best Batter of the Match:

Lorcan Tucker is one of the most exciting batters in Irish cricket. He missed out against India and will be eager to make amends on Friday. He has played 10 matches in 2024 and scored 251 runs at an average of 25.10 and a strike rate of 130.72. The right-handed batter registered three half-centuries as well. The Canada bowlers will want to see the back of him quickly before he gets into his groove.

Probable Best Bowler of the Match:

Mark Adair put in a decent shift with the ball against India. He conceded just 27 runs in his four overs and picked up the wicket of the legendary Virat Kohli. The right-arm pacer is going to take the new ball and his spell is going to be very crucial for Ireland. He will look to get his team off to a fantastic start by making some early inroads.

 Today's Match Prediction: Ireland to win the match

Scenario 1

Canada win the toss and opt to bowl first.

Power Play Score: 35-45

First Innings Score: 140-150       

Ireland win the match

Scenario 2

Ireland win the toss and opt to bowl first.

Power Play Score: 30-40

First Innings Score: 125-135

Ireland win the match

Disclaimer: The prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned, and make your own decision.

There will be significant attention on Ireland's T20 World Cup clash against Canada that will have little to do with these sides locked 2-2 in T20I Head-to-Head. At this point in the World Cup, the result of this particular game at Nassau County would seem more academic for the ICC in the context of what is to come this weekend.

Of course, Pakistan's defeat to the USA has opened up several possibilities of qualification in Group A and Ireland will believe they are right in the mix if they can take down Canada. But to do that, they'll have to get a measure of the pitch in New York or at least do so better than their opponents on the day. It's been a nightmarish start for the venue with no team having gone past 100 in four innings. Uneven bounce, prodigious lateral movement and a slow, sandy outfield have given headaches to both batters as well as the governing body of the game, which has waded in hoping to remedy the situation somewhat before the India-Pakistan game on June 9.

Ireland rocked up and got a first taste of the venue and its challenges only on match day against India. They will, however, have 28.2 overs of a headstart over Canada, who experienced much better batting conditions in their defeat to co-hosts USA in the tournament opener in Dallas. A second defeat for either side will not prove terminal just yet but it will be too steep a climb thereafter to make the Super 8s.