Cricket:Ireland will look to relive their famous giant-killing act from the 2007 World Cup after lining up two One-Day Internationals against Pakistan at Stormont in Belfast at the end of May.
The series, which will be sponsored by RSA, will see the sides play a 50-over match for the first time since that game at Sabina Park in Kingston, which saw Ireland win by three wickets to send Pakistan out of the World Cup. The matches will take place on Friday May 27th and Sunday May 29th.
Pakistan have had a sensational World Cup under the captaincy of Shahid Afridi, winning Group A before dismantling the West Indies by 10 wickets in their quarter-final in Dhaka on Wednesday. They now face India in a mouth-watering semi-final in Chandigarh next Wednesday.
Afridi, the leading wicket-taker in this year’s World Cup, played for Ireland as an overseas professional in the Friends Provident Trophy in 2006.
Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom welcomed the games saying: “Following our recent World Cup campaign, the need to play the world’s best teams on a more regular basis has become more pressing than ever to give us the experience to continue to compete at the highest level.”
Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt said: “The fight that the Irish team displayed at the World Cup lit up the event and has added a new flavour to international cricket. The Pakistan team’s upcoming tour is in line with ICC and PCB’s vision of cricket development and support to associate members. We anticipate a hard-fought series as the Irish team has shown that they are capable of playing against the best in the World.”
Ireland coach Phil Simmons was clearly delighted at the announcement of the games saying: “This is what we have been crying out for – fixtures against the top teams in the world. We have shown just how much our cricket has improved, and by playing these type of games, it’ll keep growing in the right direction.
“We’re due to play Sri Lanka and England as well this summer, so that’s definitely a step in the right direction as far as Irish cricket is concerned. These games mean we will have played all the top ten teams in world cricket in just over 12 months, although the New Zealand game wasn’t an official ODI.
“It will be a great chance for the players to pit their wits against some of the best cricketers in world cricket, and I’m sure the Irish supporters will come out in numbers to support the team in their first appearances on Irish soil following the World Cup.”