WC 2015 team profile: Giant killers Ireland will look to create more magic

Ireland are playing in their third World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. They had a dream debut in 2007 when they tied with Zimbabwe and beat former champions Pakistan by 3 wickets and advanced to the Super Eight stage. There too, they beat test-playing team Bangladesh.

[WC 2015 team profiles]

In 2011, The Irish won two out of six matches in the group stage, one of them against three-time finalists England. Ireland won both matches by chasing over 300 runs.

Three Irish batsmen have scored centuries till date, each against Zimbabwe (2007), England and the Netherlands (2011).
In the 2015 World Cup,

Ireland are clubbed with India, Pakistan, South Africa, West Indies, Zimbabwe and the UAE in Pool B in the 2015 World Cup.

Here is Ireland's schedule at WC 2015: Vs West Indies (Feb 16), Vs UAE (Feb 25), Vs South Africa (Mar 3), Vs Zimbabwe (Mar 7), Vs India (Mar 10), VsPakistan (Mar 15) []

WC 2015 squad: William Porterfield (Captain), Andrew Balbirnie, Peter Chase, Alex Cusack, George Dockrell, Ed Joyce, Andrew McBrine, John Mooney, Max Sorensen, Kevin O'Brien, Niall O'Brien, Paul Stirling, Stuart Thompson, Gary Wilson, Craig Young.

Ireland's best performance: Super Eight stage in 2007

Ireland's success percentage in WC: 30% (played 15, won 4, lost 10, tied 1)

Most matches as captain: David Johnston 8 (Won 2, lost 5, tied 1)

Highest team score: 329/7 vs England in 2011

Lowest team score: 77 vs Sri Lanka in 2007

Most number of matches in WC for Ireland: Niall O'Brien, William Porterfield and William Rankin (all 15)

Ireland's highest scorer in WC: Niall O'Brien (421 runs in 15 matches at an average of 30.07, best 72)

Most number of wickets for Ireland in WC: David Johnston (16 wickets in 13 matches, best 2 for 16)

Highest individual score by an Irish in WC: Jeremy Bray (115 not out vs Zimbabwe in 2007)

Best bowling figures by an Irish in WC: John Mooney (4 for 63 vs England in 2011)

Biggest win for Ireland in WC: Vs the Netherlands by 6 wickets in 2011; vs Bangladesh by 74 runs in 2007

Narrowest win for Ireland in WC: Vs Pakistan and England by 3 wickets in 2007 and 2011, respectively; vs Bangladesh by 74 runs in 2007

Biggest loss for Ireland in WC: Vs Australia by 9 wickets in 2007, vs South Africa by 131 runs in 2011.

Narrowest loss for Ireland in WC: vs India by 5 wickets in 2011, vs Bangladesh by 27 runs in 2011

Ireland's performance in their past two World Cups:

2007: Ireland drew with Zimbabwe and beat Pakistan to go to the Super Eight stage after hosts West Indies. In the Super Eight stage, they won one of their six matches to finish eighth in the table.

They lost to England, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Sri Lanka and beat Bangladesh.

2011: Ireland chased over 300 to defeat European rivals England and the Netherlands but lost to eventual champions India, Bangladesh, West Indies and South Africa to finish sixth among seven teams in the group stage.

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