The first of the three one-day internationals between Ireland and the West Indies is set to be played on 8th January at Sabina Park Stadium, Kingston. The West Indies Cricket Team are coming into the series on the back of a 3-0 suffering in their last white assignment against Pakistan. Full-time captain, Kieron Pollard missed out on the series due to a hamstring injury.
Much to the delight of the fans, the skipper has recovered well and will be available for the ODI series against Ireland. He will lead the team, while Shai Hope will assume the vice-captaincy duties. Sadly, Shimron Hetmyer won’t be available for the series as he has failed the fitness Test, while Andre Russell continues to miss out as well.
Besides, three cricketers, namely Fabian Allan, Evin Lewis, and Anderson Phillip have been ruled out of the series as they have tested positive for Covid-19.
Interestingly, Devon Smith, who last played an international match for West Indies back in 2013, has been called into the squad. The 40-year old is likely to open the batting alongside Shai Hope. Jason Holder holds on to his place in the squad as well. He will provide a great balance to this unit. As for the bowling, Jayden Seales and Alzarri Joseph are likely to take the new ball, while Akeal Hosein should lead the spin-bowling unit.
Ireland Cricket Team, on the other hand, last played an ODI series against Zimbabwe back in September. Both teams won one match each in the series, while one match got abandoned. Ireland last visited in West Indies back in 2020. They lost all three matches in the series. The fans would be hoping for a better performance this time around.
The visitors are coming in with a full-strength squad. William Porterfield should open the batting alongside Paul Sterling. The presence of skipper Andy Balbirnie, Harry Tector and George Dockrell will strengthen the middle-order. As for the bowling, the likes of Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little should keep the team in good stead.
WI vs IRE Prediction- Who Will Win the Match Between West Indies vs Ireland, West Indies vs Ireland 2022, 1st ODI
Teams Head to Head Records: ODIs
| Stats | Matches | WI Win | IRE Won | Draw |
| Overall | 12 | 1o | 1 | |
| At The Sabina Park, Kingston | 3 | 3 | 0 | – |
| In the last 5 matches | 5 | 5 | 00 |
Recent venue records (Records at Sabina Park International Cricket Stadium)
STATS – ODIs
| Total matches | 38 |
| Matches won batting first | 14 |
| Matches won bowling first | 22 |
| Average 1st Inns scores | 233 |
| Average 2nd Inns scores | 200 |
| Highest total recorded | 349/10 (49.5 Ov) by PAK vs ZIM |
| Lowest total recorded | 99/10 (19.1 Ov) by ZIM vs PAK |
| Highest score chased | 255/2 (45 Ov) by RSA vs WI |
| Lowest score defended | 198/9 (50 Ov) by WI vs IND |
Toss Prediction for the 1st ODI of the ODI Series
The team winning the toss is likely to bat first.
West Indies:
| Players | Matches | Runs | Average |
| Shai Hope | 83 | 3599 | 52.9 |
| Shamarh Brooks | 3 | 64 | 21.3 |
| Roston Chase | 30 | 520 | 26.00 |
| Nicholas Pooran | 31 | 1044 | 47.5 |
| Kieron Pollard | 119 | 2633 | 26.3 |
| Jason Holder | 121 | 1894 | 24.9 |
Who will score the most runs for West Indies in the match: Roston Chase or Shai Hope
| Players | Matches | Wickets | Average |
| Jayden Seales | – | – | – |
| Alzarri Joseph | 37 | 60 | 28.6 |
| Odean Smith | – | – | – |
| Akeal Hosein | 9 | 14 | 23.1 |
| Jason Holder | 121 | 140 | 37.2 |
Who will pick the most wickets for West Indies in the match: Akeal Hosein or Alzarri Joseph
Ireland:
| Players | Matches | Runs | Average |
| Paul Stirling | 134 | 4982 | 38.9 |
| William Porterfield | 145 | 4317 | 31.1 |
| Andrew Balbirnie | 84 | 2462 | 32.4 |
| Lorcan Tucker | 25 | 392 | 20.6 |
| Curtis Campher | 10 | 359 | 51.3 |
| Neil Rock | – | – | – |
Who will score the most runs for Ireland in the match: Paul Stirling or William Porterfield
| Players | Matches | Wickets | Average |
| Barry McCarthy | 38 | 61 | 29.8 |
| Simi Singh | 33 | 37 | 24.5 |
| Mark Adair | 21 | 20 | 46.6 |
| Joshua Little | 16 | 27 | 26.9 |
| George Dockrell | 96 | 91 | 37.8 |