Can Ireland beat India?
It’s another game at the belt-the-bowler pitch at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore. Ireland must be super high on confidence. Having chased 327 runs against England the other day, Ireland must surely feel that in all fairness someone should have handed over the world cup to them the other night and let the rest of the tournament continue as a mere formality.
Kevin O’Brien was quoted by DNA saying “We can beat India.” I call that super duper confidence and all that confidence really helps.
I went back to my beer buddies and asked, ‘Do you’ll think Ireland can beat India?’ They all said ‘Pagal hai kya?’ (Are you mad?). A few years ago there would have been so much pessimism about Team India, that at least a couple of them would have said ‘Abey India ka na koi bharosa nahi hai… Kenya bhi thok dega (you can’t trust India.. even Kenya might thrash them).
Anything can happen in a cricket match, but the odds are heavily stacked against Ireland in their next encounter against India.
India would have learned a lot from their mistakes against England on the same ground. I also read somewhere that some guys-who-mattered at Bangalore were disgusted with the one sided contest between bat and ball and were starting to feel sorry for the bowlers. After a drink or two they decided that the pitch should not be watered at all for the India v Ireland game.
Bizarre as this may sound, it is completely believable. This means that there will be some help for the spinners. No host nation would want their much adored ‘Team India’ to be plastered by an unheard of non test playing Irish team.
So if Ireland wants to win, Kevin and Co better practice playing spin in the nets. I don’t think they play spin too well (Note: Swan had the best figures in the England side).
I feel Dhoni is better off making Ireland bat first. With India having the batting line up that they have, Ireland will surely go for a 300 plus total and in the process might not even get to 220.
Even if India bat first, they have a line up good enough to score 350(If the pitch behaves the same).
I don’t see Ireland chasing even 280 against India. I don’t think Ireland can beat India.
Sandeep Ail, 
Aniruddha, and 
mach3 are discussing.
mach3 11:29 am on March 6, 2011 Permalink |
Yes, they can.
Sandeep Ail 5:43 pm on March 6, 2011 Permalink |
Ireland 186 for 8 Mr Menon… no they cant.. Dhoni was bang on… won the toss.. put them in to bat… now its a mere formality for the batsmen… unless they have other plans…. yuvraj… 5 for… spin is not what Ireland relish.. especially on an unwatered pitch
Aniruddha 10:57 am on March 7, 2011 Permalink |
Fantastic match.
Ireland had us in a slight spot of bother after the departure of Kohli.
And the wicket not letting runs come of it quickly meant that they were always with a chance had they got couple a wickets more. Well played Yuvraj and Dhoni.
Ireland are already heroes back home so they have everything to go for for and were playing without pressure (If they had any).
Also the fact that 350 km down the road to the east SA did what they are best at means the group is split wide open.
Imagine if Ireland had won against Bangladesh they would be in serious contention.
I must admit a part of me was rooting for Ireland. That doesn’t make me unpatriotic, does it?
Sandeep Ail 2:25 pm on March 7, 2011 Permalink |
HaHa I hope my post does not sound patriotic… that was not the intention… I only meant that India is a far more experienced and a far better team… Don’t want to take anything away from Ireland. They have played brilliantly and deserve every praise possible and I also hope that they soon get to test playing status. Same for Netherlands.