Ireland skipper Paul Stirling feels that playing as an underdog against the mighty Indian team would bring the best out of their team in the home condition and is hopeful of building their side for the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies.
Ireland will be captained by the veteran Paul Stirling, who will lead the team on their home soil it consists of the likes of Curtis Campher, Lorcan Tucker, and Josh Little in the team and they will look to put on a show in their home soil, as India will play with a young team in Ireland.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Ireland’s skipper Paul Stirling is excited to start their preparation against India for the 2024 T20 World Cup next year and is happy to come up against quality opponents on their home soil and wants the team to do their best on the name of the underdog tag, as they came close to beat the Indian side in the 2022 two-match T20 series.
“It’s the start of our adventure to the World Cup, We know the players and the standard of cricket that we are going to come up against. The standard of cricket they play all year in terms of the IPL for such a long time and in the national team is obviously as good as it gets.”
“But at the same time, I think that the pressure when you’re in the underdog scenario like we are for this week can release you to play your best cricket. I remember last year really well, it was such a buzz going on, We’re looking to put in another shift where we can maybe make another upset like that happen,” Paul Stirling said.
India last visited Ireland in 2022 for a two-match T20I series with Hardik Pandya as the captain. The Men in Blue had won both games. Ireland came up with good performances in both the games although they could not win any of them.
We’ll Be Looking To Be In The Best Place Possible Come June – Paul Stirling
Paul Stirling wants to start preparing for the marquee event next year as they would have very less time to prepare for the events and said that the team wants to be in the bests shape possible going into the 2024 T20 World Cup.
“For us, the build-up begins now, it’s a really important period, it’ll be thick and fast, and June won’t be that terribly far away. We’re going to finish our summer here and be into several tours no doubt coming up and all of a sudden we’ll be in the United States and the West Indies”.
“We’ll be looking to be in the best place possible come June, so again our plans and our focus will turn towards that,” Paul Stirling added.
Ireland has guaranteed a spot at the 2024 T20 World Cup, which will be staged in the West Indies and the United States but they have failed to seal their spot at the ODI World Cup in India later this year after a forgettable campaign in Zimbabwe.