Six months after the 19th November heartbreak, the opportunity is here to put it behind us. In New York. In a much-awaited World Cup. As Rohit Sharma and the Men in Blue march out, it marks the beginning of a thrilling journey towards the coveted silverware. 

India and Ireland are in Group A alongside their neighbours Pakistan, T20WC co-host USA, and Canada. As they prepare for their clash, they bring with them contrasting results from their practice games—India emerged victorious against Bangladesh, while Ireland faced a defeat against Sri Lanka. The unpredictability of the pitch adds a thrilling element of suspense to the upcoming match.

From India’s perspective, cricket fans will be super happy to see a full-strength Men in Blue unit back in action in T20I cricket since the 3-0 series sweep against Afghanistan in January this year. But what’s more? We will witness the much-awaited returns of fan favourites Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant to India colours after recovering from their respective injuries. The stage is set for an explosive display of talent and a winning attitude!

What: India vs Ireland

When: Wednesday, June 5, 2024

Where: Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York

What to look forward to: The Men in Blue making a comeback to T20I cricket action, a new cricket venue, the NRIs making it a home away from home, and most importantly, India launching their Mission T20 World Cup 2024 with a bang. What better way to kick things off and get on a roll!

What you need to do: Recharge your vocal batteries to sing your favourite songs - Vande Mataram, Chak de India, Lehra Do and all your special player chants. Submerge the New York arena in our sea of BLUE. Carry your essentials to stay hydrated since it is an early morning game, and keep the energy high!

India vs Ireland: Stat check

Note: The latest INDvIRE T20I match (Aug 23, 2023) was abandoned.

Squads

India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj. Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan

Ireland: Paul Stirling (captain), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young