ICC World Cup Qualifiers 2023: Match 20
Stadium: Bulawayo Athletic Club., Matabeleland, Zimbabwe
27 June 2023
Ireland and UAE are going head to head against each other at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe on 27th June. Both teams are already eliminated from going to the next round. Who will win this game?
Claim Your Welcome Bonus!Ireland
Ireland entered the tournament with high expectations of reaching the Super Sixes, being placed in a relatively easier Group B. They only needed a couple of victories to secure their progression. However, their campaign took a disastrous turn when they suffered an initial defeat against Oman, from which they couldn't recover. Ireland faced three consecutive losses and was subsequently eliminated from the competition.
The team's batting performance has been lacklustre, particularly from the top order, preventing them from posting match-winning scores. The opening partnership of Paul Stirling and Andy McBrine has struggled with inconsistency, while the middle-order batsmen, including experienced players like Harry Tector, Andrew Balbirnie, and Lorcan Tucker, have been disappointing.
Although there have been a few noteworthy individual performances for Ireland, they have been few and far between, failing to significantly impact the team's overall fortunes. George Dockrell and Curtis Campher showed resilience with the bat on certain occasions and will look to replicate such performances in the upcoming match.
Regarding the bowling department, Mark Adair has emerged as the leading wicket-taker for the team, having taken nine wickets. However, Josh Little has been underwhelming with the new ball. In terms of spin, Ireland will depend on George Dockrell and Gareth Delaney to deliver strong performances.
Ireland Predicted Lineup
Andy McBrine, Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie (c), Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Joshua Little, Barry McCarthy.
UAE
Similar to their opponents, the UAE has been unable to secure a victory in their three matches and has already been eliminated from the tournament. However, they will strive for a consolation win in this upcoming match.
The batting performance of the UAE has been a significant letdown. Expectations were high for experienced players such as Muhammad Waseem, Vriitya Aravind, and Rohan Mustafa, who have gained valuable international experience by participating in T20 leagues worldwide. Unfortunately, their performances in this tournament have not lived up to expectations.
The team possesses quality all-rounders like Basil Hameed and Ali Naseer, but they too have struggled to find consistency. The inconsistency extends to the bowling department as well. While the pace attack, led by Junaid Siddiqui, Zahoor Khan, and Ali Naseer, has shown promise in certain periods, they have failed to produce any match-winning spells.
Spinner Karthik Meiyappan has only managed to claim one wicket in three matches, while Aayan Khan has picked up two wickets so far.
UAE Predicted Lineup
Muhammad Waseem (c), Ali Naseer, Vriitya Aravind (wk), Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hammed, Rohan Mustafa, Asif Khan, Aayan Afzal Khan, Karthik Meiyappan, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique.
Expert betting tips
The pitch at the Bulawayo Athletic Club offers favourable conditions for batting. It provides a good amount of bounce and pace, enabling batsmen to execute their shots effectively. Although the faster bowlers might experience some initial movement, the pitch is anticipated to stabilize as the match progresses. A target of approximately 280 runs is considered a standard score on this pitch. The weather forecast indicates clear conditions with pleasant temperatures throughout the match. As both teams are eliminated the game does not have any significance in terms of the tournament ahead. Both the teams have not had the tournament they hoped for but we bet on Ireland to get the job done.