3 Ireland bowlers who could be the biggest threat for India at 2024 T20 World Cup ft. Joshua Little
India will kickstart their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign against Ireland at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on Wednesday, June 5. The Men in Blue got a comprehensive win by 60 runs under their belt in the warm-up tie against Bangladesh and might have found some answers to their team combination.
However, the T20 World Cup over several editions has shown that upsets are often just around the corner and the encounter against Ireland is a potential banana skin that Rohit Sharma and his men need to be wary about.
Ireland do have some quality in their bowling line-up and on that note, here are three bowlers who could cause some problems for Team India in their encounter.
#3 Ben White
The pitch at the Nassau County Club in New York did seem to have a bit of grip in it and if that's the case, then young Irish leg-spinner Ben White could be very handy against India. The Men in Blue have some fine stroke-makers in their middle order who would relish the ball coming onto the bat.
However, if White gets some grip from the surface, he has shown that he has the skills to deceive the batters in the air. He also has an impressive record in the shortest format with 30 wickets in 29 T20Is at an economy rate of 7.88. If he finds his groove, the Men in Blue could have a tough time in getting him away.
#2 George Dockrell
Left-arm spinner George Dockrell is another option that Ireland have to get a stranglehold over India straightaway. If the warm-up game is anything to go by, it seems like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli would be the opening pair for India at the start of their T20 World Cup campaign.
While they are two solid players, the two right-handers at the top might make Ireland unleash Dockrell and keep things tight. Kohli has used the slog sweep to great effect, especially against left-arm spinners in IPL 2024. However, with a bit of grip in the pitch, it would be interesting to see how the star-studded batters from the Indian team manage to avoid being kept at bay.
#1 Joshua Little
Arguably the biggest weapon Ireland have against India upfront is left-arm pacer Joshua Little. There was some swing upfront in New York with the new ball and Ireland would want Little to exploit the same against the Indian batters, especially Rohit Sharma.
The Indian skipper's issues against left-arm pace has been well-documented. In 179 T20 innings, Rohit has been dismissed as many as 51 times by left-arm pacers and the problem compounds further when there's swing and movement available. If Little gets into his zone, he has the ability to even run through the Indian top order and push the big names on the backfoot.