T20 World Cup 2022: West Indies VS Ireland - Match predictions and tips

Scotland defeated the West Indies by 42 runs in their first tournament game. West Indies bowlers did a good job, but the batters failed to impress. West Indies coach Phil Simmons even expressed disappointment with the batters' performance in the match.

But the Caribbean team quickly made amends as they delivered a thoroughly professional performance in their next match against Zimbabwe, winning by 31 runs. 

Johnson Charles, Rovman Powell, and Akeal Hossein performed well with the bat, while Alzarri Joseph made a splash with the ball, scoring an excellent 4/16 runs. They will now look to take the momentum and confidence into this game.

On the other hand, Ireland also goes into this game with a morale-boosting win over Scotland. Curtis Campher's 72 off 32 deliveries helped Ireland post a challenging score of 177. Also, Campher had earlier scored 2/9 with the ball, showing his impact on Ireland's game.

It was important for Andrew Balbirnie's men to win this game and maintain their chances of progressing to the Super 12 stage. Especially after starting their campaign with a disappointing 31-run loss to Zimbabwe.

West Indies Players to watch

1. Jason Holder: Another all-rounder you can't afford to lose from your team. With five wickets to his name in the first two games, Holder is a consistent wicket-taker. He is also frugal, going at just 4.10 runs per over.

2. Alzarri Joseph: The young bowler has already shown that he is the most crucial member of the West Indies team in this competition. While only averaging 5.50 runs per over in his two outings thus far, Joseph has taken six wickets, including a match-winning performance of 4/16 against Zimbabwe.

Ireland Players to watch

 1. David Dockrell: Dockrell often goes unnoticed but has enormous fantasy potential. The all-rounder doesn't bowl as frequently these days, but when he does, he is a dependable alternative to pick wickets or provide affordable returns. Additionally, he has significantly improved as a batter, posting scores of 39* and 24 in the previous two games.

 2. Paul Stirling: The totality of Stirling's batting prowess is summed up by the over 3000 runs he has scored in 116 T20 international matches at an average of 27.95 and a strike rate of 134.48.

Match Prediction

West Indies is a strong and more experienced side that is predicted to win today's match.

Top Picks

Jason Holder

Alzarri Joseph

David Dockrell

Paul Stirling

Pitch Report

The surface in Hobart is well-known for its extra pace and bounce, and batters will try to put up big scores here. The ball moves well here, and bowlers, particularly pacers, must control their line and lengths well to pick wickets. Whoever wins the toss will attempt to chase.

Team Squad

West Indies: Kyle Mayers, Johnson Charles, Evin Lewis, Nicholas Pooran (c & wk), Shamarh Brooks, Rovman Powell, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Odean Smith, Obed McCoy

Ireland: Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie (c), Lorcan Tucker (wk), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Simi Singh, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little