ICC World Twenty20 Final Preview

November 30th 2013 by Cricket Ireland |

Ireland have cruised into the final of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier UAE 2013 after beating the hosts, UAE by 62 runs in a semi-final yesterday that could have gone either way after a shaky start from Ireland.

Today’s match, being shown at 2pm on Sky Sports 3, will be the third consecutive ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier final that Ireland and Afghanistan will battle out between them. Ireland will be looking to retain the trophy they lost to Afghanistan in 2010 and won against the same opposition in March 2012. 

Eight teams took part in the 2010 Qualifier, while there were 16 in the 2012 and 2013 events. In 2010, Ireland batted first and posted a par total of 142 with a number of players making starts but none kicking on to make a big score. Afghanistan’s top-order, by contrast, did the job as Mohammad Shahzad top-scored with 65*. Shahzad will be playing tomorrow, as will Karim Sadiq who was second top-scorer that day with 34.

Ireland lost by eight wickets with more than two overs left to bowl, but it was a different story two years later when the boys in green faced the Afghanis again in the final. Ireland fielded first and though Shahzad again caused the damage with 77, helping his team to post a total of 152, it was not enough.

Paul Stirling got his team off to a flyer when he scored 79 from just 38 balls while Gary Wilson, who has performed well in almost every game in the 2013 edition of the tournament, played an important innings of 32 from 39 balls. Ireland reached their target with eight balls to spare.

The Ireland and Afghanistan cricket teams have a history of playing out tight, entertaining finals on a world stage, and with veteran Trent Johnston playing his second to last match in an Ireland jersey, today’s match is set to be a classic.

The match also has an added edge as Saturday night’s winner in Abu Dhabi will be placed into Group B with Zimbabwe along with two other Associates at the ICC World Twenty 20, the runner-up will have the tough task of taking on Bangladesh on home soil in Group A alongside two other qualifiers.

Can William Porterfield lift the trophy again this year?