Ireland inches closer to dream Test debut, Pakistan likely to face them in Dublin

Ireland are very close to be a part of history after the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that they are very close to finalizing the details of their inaugural Test match. It has been believed that Ireland’s inaugural Test match will take place in Dublin against Pakistan next year. Incidentally, Ireland announced their arrival in international cricket by beating a full-strength Pakistan side in the 2007 cricket world cup.

ICC said in a media release on Tuesday that Pakistan will play a “red ball” match against Ireland in April before their two-Test tour of England in 2018. It is also believed that Ireland will have a very crucial home advantage against Pakistan if the Test match takes place. The weather during the month of April stays very chilly at around eight degrees and the Pakistan side are very much used to playing in humid conditions, with UAE being their adopted home arena.

Advantage Ireland

Apart from the above advantage, it is also believed that Test may well be a four-day affair instead of the traditional five-day Test match. In that case, Ireland can out their plan in place, having played a major chunk of cricket in the four-day format.

Four-day Test plans

Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom recently admitted the Test newcomers would be open to the concept, with Ireland having excelled in four-day games in the rung below Test cricket, the ICC’s Intercontinental Cup.

“We can hardly complain about compromising the traditional rhythms of Test cricket when Ireland hasn’t played one yet,” Deutrom told Cricket Country last month. “In fact, one might even argue that the four-day experiment is more likely to suit us given our familiarity with the Intercontinental Cup.”

This is not the first time that we are hearing of a four-day Test match plan. South Africa had earlier announced plans for an innovative four-day Test against Zimbabwe this summer and they hope that the ICC will grant the match ‘official Test’ status.