Ireland was the favorite in the European Region Qualifiers last month, but Paul Stirling acknowledged that things will change if India wins. After a respectable performance in the European Region Qualifiers in July, Ireland was able to secure a spot in the 2024 T20 World Cup. They will now try to maintain their comeback in the three-match T20I series against a young Indian team that will be captained by a fully recovered Jasprit Bumrah. At the Malahide Cricket Club Ground in Dublin, the first T20I will be contested on Friday, August 18.
The Indian team maintains a high level of play throughout the year, according to Paul Stirling, who just took over as T20I captain in lieu of Andrew Balbirnie. He thought that Ireland’s reputation as underdogs may benefit them and allow his players to play with more freedom and less stress.
“This is the beginning of our World Cup journey. We are familiar with the players and the level of cricket we will face. The level of cricket played in the IPL for such a long time and by the national team is undoubtedly the best there is, according to Stirling, who spoke to BBC Sport NI.
But on the other hand, I believe that the pressure of playing against the odds, as we are this week, may allow you to play your best cricket.
Our preparations for the 2024 T20 World Cup have already begun: Paul Stirling
The aggressive right-handed hitter noted that the T20 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the West Indies and the USA next year, is approaching quickly and that it is crucial for his team to make the most of the opportunities it has to play in matches before the major competition.
“For us, the build-up starts right now; it’s a really crucial time, and it’ll come thick and fast. June won’t seem that far away. We’ll conclude the summer season here, start a number of tours, and then all of a sudden we’ll be in the United States and the West Indies. Again, our planning and our attention will be directed toward being in the greatest possible position come June.
“The situation [against India] is completely different from what we encountered two weeks ago in the World Cup qualifiers in Scotland. There was a lot of pressure on us in every game, and we were unquestionably favorites heading into the most of them, but this week, the tables will be turned, and we’re excited to see what we can accomplish with more flexibility.
A two-match T20I series featuring India was played in Ireland last year. Ireland put up a fair fight despite losing both games to Hardik Pandya and company by a combined score of just four runs while chasing 226.
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