DUBLIN: Pakistan’s men’s cricket team is embarking on their European tour, commencing with a series of three T20Is against Ireland, beginning today. The initial match will be held at Castle Avenue, followed by two more matches on Sunday and Tuesday at the same venue, before they move to Headingley, Leeds.
Pakistan will also face England in a series of four T20Is starting on Wednesday during their trip to the English country. Subsequently, both teams will head to the T20I World Cup 2024. Pakistan’s campaign will kick off against the United States in Dallas on June 6.
This series marks the first occasion of Pakistan touring Ireland for a T20I series, with their previous encounter in the format occurring during the T20I World Cup 2009, where Pakistan emerged victorious. Interestingly, both teams are grouped together in the T20I World Cup 2024 and are scheduled to clash in Florida on June 16, alongside India, USA, and Canada.
Reflecting on their preparations, Pakistan’s head coach Azhar Mahmood expressed confidence in their game plans and strategies for the current and upcoming matches. He acknowledged Ireland as a relatively new opponent in T20 cricket, emphasizing the importance of gathering insights from the upcoming series.
However, Pakistan will begin the series without fast bowler Mohammad Amir, who faces visa delays but is expected to join the squad later.
Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Haris Rauf,Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir (unavailable for first T20I), Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Usman Khan.
Ireland: Paul Stirling (captain), Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Mark Adair, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Curtis Campher, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Barry McCarthy, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young
