Ireland vs Zimbabwe 1st ODI: Preview, likely XIs, predictions

Zimbabwe and Ireland will face off in the first match of the 3-ODI series, at Bready Cricket Club, Magheramason, Bready. Despite playing each other for over a decade now, and having met 7 times in Zimbabwe, this is going to be the first time they meet on Irish soil.

Zimbabwe had a torrid time in Netherlands just before this tour, losing the ODIs 0-2 and levelling the T20Is 1-1, their win coming in a Super Over. The 4-0 whitewash against UAE at home seems some distance away.

Brendan Taylor, Sikandar Raza, and Craig Ervine all got runs in Netherlands, but the inability of their bowlers to pick up wickets. They managed just 10 wickets between them, 6 of which were picked up by Sean Williams.

The Irish pushed England before losing the one-off ODI at home. Then they failed to reach the final in the Tri-Nation tournament at home, one that also involved Bangladesh and West Indies. The 2-ODI series against Afghanistan ended in a draw. Earlier this year, they had also drew a series 2-2 against Afghanistan at Dehradun.

However, given Zimbabwe’s defeat in Netherlands and the fact that the series is played in Ireland, the hosts will take field as favourites.

Head to head

Zimbabwe are 6-3 ahead here, including 3-1 in the last 4 T20Is. As mentioned above, the sides have never met on Irish soil before. Outside Zimbabwe, however, they are level 1-1.

Key players

Paul Stirling (Ireland): Stirling has been in excellent form (361 runs at 60, strike rate 83, 9-0-33-2) across his 6 home ODIs against four different oppositions. Then he slammed a hundred for Middlesex against Glamorgan and took 2 wickets with his off-breaks. He will definitely be the one Zimbabwe will have to watch out for.

Brendan Taylor (Zimbabwe): Zimbabwe might have been whitewashed in Netherlands, but that was despite Taylor, not due to him. Taylor scored 51 and 71 in the two matches and kept soundly, and continued his form with 43 in the decisive T20I.

Likely XIs

Ireland: Paul Stirling, James McCollum, Andy Balbirnie, William Porterfield (c), Kevin O’Brien, Mark Adair, Gary Wilson (wk), Simi Singh, Shane Getkate, Boyd Rankin, Josh Little.

Zimbabwe: Hamilton Masakadza (c), Solomon Mire, Craig Ervine, Brendan Taylor (wk), Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Peter Moor, Donald Tiripano, Ainsley Ndlovu, Kyle Jarvis, Tendai Chatara.

Prediction

Ireland to beat a rusty-looking Zimbabwe.