The Irish skipper Gary Wilson feels that his team is capable enough to beat India in the two-T20I series starting, in Dublin on Wednesday, as they have surprised top teams in past as well. He also said that the team will take heart from the past when taking on the Men in Blue.
During the pre-match press-conference, Wilson said “They are a very fine T20 side, but they have to bat and we have to bowl. If we bowl up to our best, they still have to play that no matter, whether it is Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma, or whoever it is in the world. On any day, anyone has the opportunity to beat anyone else and that’s the beauty of sport, the beauty of cricket. So, tomorrow, we will go in with the belief that we can turn them over.”
While India recently outplayed Afghanistan in the one-off Test, Ireland has been busy playing a T20I tri-series against Scotland and Netherlands. India and Ireland don’t share a rich cricketing history, with only four internationals played between the two sides.
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Wilson made his international debut the last time India played in Ireland — 2007. Meanwhile, Wednesday will mark only the second-ever T20I between the two team, the first played during the 2009 World T20. Recalling the same, he said, “I was out bowled against India, but it was a pretty special day still. It was a decent crowd in Belfast and we have seen India’s traction for big crowds, wherever they go. That’s basically what I can remember (from 2007).”
Gary was appointed as Ireland’s T20I skipper just ahead of the tri-series and said that he doesn’t want to put out too many plans for the Indian batsmen. He said, “I don’t like to have too much of a plan before you go out there. Obviously, you can have broader plans for the opposition and your team, but my thinking is about on your feet. I am enjoying captaincy at the moment, but I would like to answer this question in a year or so. If we can have Ireland qualify for the next World Cup by then, it will be a feather in the cap.”
Ireland’s captain signed off by promising that they will play fearless cricket against India now matter what. He clearly said that they are ready to take the men in blue head to head and prove their own worth.
