Today's game is a dead rubber. But both teams are itching to prove a point or two. The loser of the game will finish last on the table. And no one wants to own the wooden spoon. And then there is this possibility of a no contest thanks to all the rains which has left the outfield in a poor state. The incessant and fickle rains have already impacted this group. But both these teams would want some action before bowing out of the competition.
Pakistan and losing to minnows in big tournaments isn't new! They lost to Bangladesh in the 1999 WC. Lost to Ireland in the 2007 WC. Then lost to Zimbabwe in the last T20 World Cup and were outsmarted by USA in this edition. Ireland on the other hand could have done better. They lost to Canada and were thwarted by India. That hasn't helped their cause. They came into the WC with good preparations but have come a cropper here. That would hurt the men in green from Europe.
09:30 Local Time, 13:30 GMT, 19:00 IST: When the pools were drawn for this World Cup, Group A had India, Pakistan, Ireland, USA and Canada. A month ago when Ireland shocked Pakistan in a T20I, few experts did have their eyes on today's game whether Pakistan's chances to Super 8 will be hindered by Ireland. But to everyone's shock and surprise, both these teams are ready to pack their bags and it is USA who have confirmed their status of being a super 8 team. They humbled Pakistan in a humdinger of a battle earlier this month and that has paved way for a historic qualification.
Pitch Report | Ramiz Raja and Waqar Younis: "Right now, it's not ideal conditions, you see and feel the wetness underneath your feet (outfield). Dimensions - 78m straight down the ground, 62m and 67m square. It's not a perfect pitch because it has been sweating under the covers. The ground staff has done a wonderful job. Pitch looks pretty decent, there's a little bit of moisture in it, a little bit of grass on it and I think it'll play quite nicely. You can see the patches where there is a little bit of greenery, there'll be a little bit for the fast bowlers. Overall, it looks decent. More than the grass, it's the dampness underneath. It's soft, so the ball might seam around, so it might be difficult for the batters. Win the toss and bowl first."
Pitch Report | Ramiz Raja and Waqar Younis: "Right now, it's not ideal conditions, you see and feel the wetness underneath your feet (outfield). Dimensions - 78m straight down the ground, 62m and 67m square. It's not a perfect pitch because it has been sweating under the covers. The ground staff has done a wonderful job. Pitch looks pretty decent, there's a little bit of moisture in it, a little bit of grass on it and I think it'll play quite nicely. You can see the patches where there is a little bit of greenery, there'll be a little bit for the fast bowlers. Overall, it looks decent. More than the grass, it's the dampness underneath. It's soft, so the ball might seam around, so it might be difficult for the batters. Win the toss and bowl first."
Babar Azam: We'll have a bowl first. Last three days, the pitch has been covered, little bit moisture on it.
Pakistan have won the toss and have opted to field
Babar Azam: We'll have a bowl first. Last three days, the pitch has been covered, little bit moisture on it. As a professional, you need to prepare for every match. We'll look to play our best. We have one change. Naseem isn't playing, Abbas is playing
Pitch Report | Ramiz Raja and Waqar Younis: "Right now, it's not ideal conditions, you see and feel the wetness underneath your feet (outfield). Dimensions - 78m straight down the ground, 62m and 67m square. It's not a perfect pitch because it has been sweating under the covers. The ground staff has done a wonderful job. Pitch looks pretty decent, there's a little bit of moisture in it, a little bit of grass on it and I think it'll play quite nicely. You can see the patches where there is a little bit of greenery, there'll be a little bit for the fast bowlers. Overall, it looks decent. More than the grass, it's the dampness underneath. It's soft, so the ball might seam around, so it might be difficult for the batters. Win the toss and bowl first."
Ireland (Playing XI): Paul Stirling(c), Andrew Balbirnie, Lorcan Tucker(w), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little, Benjamin White
Pakistan (Playing XI): Mohammad Rizwan(w), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam(c), Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Amir
Pitch Report | Ramiz Raja and Waqar Younis: "Right now, it's not ideal conditions, you see and feel the wetness underneath your feet (outfield). Dimensions - 78m straight down the ground, 62m and 67m square. It's not a perfect pitch because it has been sweating under the covers. The ground staff has done a wonderful job. Pitch looks pretty decent, there's a little bit of moisture in it, a little bit of grass on it and I think it'll play quite nicely. You can see the patches where there is a little bit of greenery, there'll be a little bit for the fast bowlers. Overall, it looks decent. More than the grass, it's the dampness underneath. It's soft, so the ball might seam around, so it might be difficult for the batters. Win the toss and bowl first."
Beautiful pitch report 
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