Ireland Aim To Shock Bangladesh

 

Ireland want to put in a display against Bangladesh that will make people "sit up and take notice" in their opening game at the World Cup.

 

The hosts are favourite to win Friday's Group B contest although they were beaten by Ireland at the 2007 World Cup and at the 2009 World Twenty20.

"They're playing at home, so it's to be expected they'll be favourites," said Ireland captain William Porterfield.

"We want a performance that will make people sit up and take notice again."

The Irish beat the Tigers at the Super Eights stage in 2007 but then lost 3-0 in a series in Dhaka in 2008.
"The 2007 World Cup was a while ago, where conditions were different," Porterfield added. "The last time we played in Bangladesh, we were taken by surprise by the heat, the humidity and the spinners.
"But this time we will not be found wanting. There has been a lot more preparation done and we have spent a week in Dhaka getting used to the conditions."

The Ireland squad includes nine players from 2007 and contains batsman Ed Joyce, who played 17 one-dayers for England before opting to compete for the land of his birth.

Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan warned the leading non-Test playing nation that they will struggle on the Sher-e-Bangla stadium pitch.

"I don't think Ireland like to play in these conditions," Shakib said.

"This is not to say we will take them lightly. Ireland have been playing good cricket. But in our conditions, which suit slow bowlers, we are a good bowling side."

Bangladesh, who lost their opening Group B match to India by 87 runs, will decide the XI on Friday to give seamer Shafiul Islam time to recover from a minor shoulder injury sustained during training.


Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Shahriar Nafees, Raqibul Hasan, Mohammad Ashraful, Mushfiqur Rahim, Naeem Islam, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Abdur Razzak, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Nazmul Hossain, Suhrawadi Shuvo.

Ireland: William Porterfield (capt), Andre Botha, Alex Cusack, Niall O'Brien, Kevin O'Brien, George Dockrell, Trent Johnston, Nigel Jones, John Mooney, Boyd Rankin, Paul Stirling, Albert van der Merwe, Gary Wilson, Andrew White, Ed Joyce.