The Bangladesh national cricket team will play another full series starting on March 18 with the first ODI. Bangladesh is going to play three ODIs against Ireland after blowing away England in T20. However, this will be Ireland’s first full series. All three ODIs will be played at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, and the first ODI will start at 2 PM on March 18, 2023.
Preview of Bangladesh vs Ireland 1st ODI 2023
Ireland already played a practice match against the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) XI, and they understood the pitch condition in Sylhet. Ireland got a notable victory, with a moderate total, in their preparation match. In the Sylhet pre-match, the Irish defeated the BCB XI by 74 runs.
After the morning rain, the ground at Sylhet International Stadium was soaked, causing the game to start late. Consequently, the match was shortened to 40 overs. The visiting team managed to score 255 runs after losing 7 wickets in their allotted overs. Curtis Campher's remarkable 75 runs off 50 balls was the top performance. Opener Paul Stirling scored 54 runs. While Ireland scored 53 runs in the opening pair, they lost one wicket by 100 runs. Gareth Delany put in a noteworthy performance, scoring 36 runs off 24 balls and bringing the total to 250. Rejaur Rahman Raja and Rishad Hossain each took two wickets, while Soumya Sarkar managed to take a wicket.
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Among all batters, Soumya, the left-handed opener, put up a courageous effort with the bat, resulting in 37 runs. Despite this, the BCB XI was unable to withstand the pressure of the full 32.1 overs, as they were bowled out for 181 runs. This win will surely boost confidence in Ireland.
On the other hand, despite losing the ODI series to England, Bangladesh has still had a great record at home. Other than England, they have not been defeated in a series over the last seven years. The first ODI against England was very close to being a win for Bangladesh, and to keep from being whitewashed, Tamim’s team got a victory in the last match. Although Bangladesh lost the 50-over cricket series, they were outstanding in T20. Shakib Al Hasan’s team completely defeated England by demonstrating their strength with both bat and ball. After this performance, Bangladesh will now play against Ireland. And Ireland seems to take up the challenge and attempt to win a few matches against Bangladesh.
Additionally, Bangladesh’s main weapon, the spinners, is in top form. Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz's spin bowling at home is a terror for any opponent. Bangladeshi spinners have previously shown their class to top-ranked batters. Against Ireland, it should be no exception.
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Probable Squad for BAN vs IRE 1st ODI 2023
Bangladesh XI:
Tamim Iqbal (Captain), Litton Kumer Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam.
Ireland XI:
Stephen Doheny, Paul Stirling(c), Andrew Balbirnie, Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, Lorcan Tucker(w), Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Benjamin White.
Team News
Reports from Cricbuzz indicate that wicketkeeper-batsman Zakir Hasan suffered an injury to his left thumb while practicing at the Sylhet International Stadium on Thursday afternoon. As a result, he was dropped from the ODI series against the Irish. Zakir was called up for the first ODI. However, it is speculated that it will take a minimum of three weeks for him to make a full recovery. Apart from Zakir, all other Bangladeshi players are fit and can play the first ODI.
Rony Talukdar will play in Zakir’s place. BCB confirmed Zakir's injury and Rony's inclusion in a press release on Thursday. Opener Rony returned to the Bangladesh team after almost eight years with the last T20 series against England. He played in all three games during the spectacular whitewashed series of the world champions. He notched up 21, 9, and 24 runs, respectively, in three T20s. Though he failed to make a huge impact, Rony did demonstrate the necessary ambition for this tournament. Mahmudullah was not included in the first two matches of the ODI series, while Yasir Ali, Nasum Ahmed, and Shoriful Islam have all rejoined the national squad.
Read More: Zakir ruled out of Ireland ODI series due to injury
On the other hand, the Ireland cricket team is in good condition with no major injuries or absences and is predicted to field its most formidable lineup since the beginning of the first ODI.
