Ireland Women are gearing up for their first of two home white-ball series this month, starting with a historic clash against Sri Lanka, the newly-crowned Asia Cup champions. The series, scheduled to run from August 11 to August 20, 2024, will feature five matches across multiple formats, marking the first-ever bilateral series between the two teams.

Series overview and historical context

This upcoming series will be a significant milestone, as it is the first time Ireland and Sri Lanka will face off in a competitive bilateral series. Historically, the two sides have played each other only seven times, with Sri Lanka winning six of those encounters and one match ending without a result. Their previous meeting was a warm-up match for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2018, where Ireland emerged victorious by 8 wickets.

Match schedule and significance

The two-match series T20I will be a pivotal opportunity for both teams to showcase their skills and build momentum. For Ireland, it represents a chance to challenge a formidable opponent in Sri Lanka and make a statement on home soil. The series is poised to offer fans exciting cricket and a fresh chapter in the competitive history between these two sides.

Also READ: IRE vs SL: Sri Lanka’s best playing XI for the Women’s T20I series against Ireland

Ireland Women’s top-choice playing XI for the T20I series against Sri Lanka Women:

Laura Delany (c) – All-Rounder
Strengths: Captaincy experience, solid batting and effective medium-pace bowling.
Role: Provides leadership, stabilizes the innings, and offers crucial breakthroughs with the ball.
Gaby Lewis – Opening Batter
Strengths: Aggressive batting, good technique against pace and spin.
Role: Sets a strong foundation at the top of the order with quick scoring.
Amy Hunter – Middle-Order Batter
Strengths: Reliable middle-order presence, ability to accelerate the scoring rate.
Role: Anchors the innings and accelerates towards the end.
Orla Prendergast – All-Rounder
Strengths: Versatile all-rounder with impactful batting and effective bowling.
Role: Provides depth in both batting and bowling, offering key contributions in both departments.
Leah Paul – Middle-Order Batter
Strengths: Solid batting with the ability to play big shots.
Role: Strengthens the middle order and helps in finishing the innings strongly.
Arlene Kelly – All-Rounder
Strengths: Can contribute with both bat and ball, offers valuable lower-order hitting.
Role: Adds depth to the lower middle-order and provides additional bowling options.
Cara Murray – Spinner
Strengths: Effective spin bowling, capable of taking key wickets in the middle overs.
Role: Controls the middle overs and provides crucial breakthroughs.
Jane Maguire – Bowler
Strengths: Consistent pace bowling, good at containing runs and taking wickets.
Role: Opens the bowling and provides early breakthroughs.
Rebecca Stokell – Bowler
Strengths: Strong pace bowling with the ability to swing the ball.
Role: Supports the opening bowler and bowls crucial spells in the death overs.
Christina Coulter Reilly – Bowler
Strengths: Effective in the middle overs with her ability to bowl tight spells.
Role: Provides balance in the bowling attack and restricts the scoring rate.
Una Raymond-Hoey – Bowler
Strengths: Varied bowling styles, adept at handling different conditions.
Role: Completes the bowling attack with versatility and skill.

Key considerations:

Batting Depth: With players like Delany, Prendergast, and Paul, the team has a solid middle order that can adapt to various match situations.
Bowling Attack: The combination of pace and spin options offers a balanced approach to dealing with Sri Lanka’s batting.
Leadership: Delany’s captaincy will be crucial in guiding the team and making strategic decisions during the matches.

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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

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