Pakistan Tour of Ireland 2018

Ireland will host Pakistan in their historic first-ever Test. Ireland and Afghanistan last year were handed Test status by International Cricket Council (ICC). While Ireland will be up against Pakistan, Afghanistan will lock horns with India. Ireland vs Pakistan one-of Test begins on May 11, Friday, at the Malahide Cricket Club Ground in Dublin. The Ireland Test will be ideal for Pakistan to prepare for the upcoming Test series against England. Meanwhile, Ireland will be looking forward to dish out a strong performance in the game’s longest format.

Batsman William Porterfield will lead the team and he apparently will become the first Test captain of Ireland. The Ireland squad boasts of some quality players like Ed Joyce, Andrew Balbirnie, Ed Joyce, Tyrone Kane, Andrew McBrine, Tim Murtagh, Kevin O\\\'Brien, Niall O’Brien, Boyd Rankin, Paul Stirling and Gary Wilson. Ireland will take a cue from the fact that way back in 2007 they defeated Pakistan in their first-ever against them in an ODI.

Meanwhile, Pakistan have named a strong squad, which features some new names like Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Saad Ali and Usman Salahuddin. In conditions like Ireland, Pakistan batting will be little under pressure and they will be wary of any slip-up.

Squads:

Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (capt & wk), Azhar Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Sami Aslam, Haris Sohail, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Saad Ali, Asad Shafiq, Usman Salahuddin, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Abbas, Hasan Ali, Rahat Ali, Faheem Ashraf.

Ireland: William Porterfield (capt), Andrew Balbirnie, Ed Joyce, Tyrone Kane, Andrew McBrine, Tim Murtagh, Kevin O\\\'Brien, Niall O\\\'Brien (wk), Boyd Rankin, James Shannon, Nathan Smith, Paul Stirling, Stuart Thompson, Gary Wilson (wk).