HOBART: Paul Stirling, the opening batsman for Ireland, has praised the team management, which is led by head coach Heinrich Malan, for motivating the players to choose positive game strategies and giving them confidence before their opening match in the men's T20 World Cup on Monday.
Ireland will be attempting to advance beyond the first round of the T20 World Cup after failing to make it past the Super 12 round in last year's tournament in the United Arab Emirates. Ireland is in a difficult Group B with two-time champions West Indies, Scotland, and Zimbabwe.
Since Malan took over as the team's head coach earlier this year, Ireland has played many home games against India, New Zealand, South Africa, and Afghanistan with a refreshing approach, however they didn't receive many favourable outcomes.
After the team arrived in Hobart on Friday, Stirling said, "Heinrich (Malan) has focused on role clarity, and having a management team behind you that truly pushes selecting the positive option has really injected that confidence in the playing group."
The 32-year-old Stirling made his debut for his country in a one-day match against New Zealand in 2008, and then in a Twenty20 match against Pakistan in 2009. He has 340 caps for Ireland and has played 114 T20 Internationals, totaling 3,011 runs to rank sixth all-time in the globe in this format.
At the storied Melbourne Cricket Ground, Ireland's T20 World Cup warm-up match against Namibia was defeated by 11 runs, and their subsequent match against Sri Lanka was postponed due to rain.
"We could have used a few more warm-up games, there's no doubt about that, but the guys have had some excellent practise sessions in the nets or inside. We still need to practise a few talents in Hobart before the first game, but we're certain we'll be ready for Monday's opener against Zimbabwe "Stirling added.
Stirling believes Ireland will be encouraged to do well in the first round in order to have a chance to play a match in MCG later in the competition because the Super 12 games and the T20 World Cup final will both take place in Melbourne.
"The MCG the other night was a great experience for the squad -- I haven't played there before, and it has just given the lads that little bit extra motivation as they now want to get back there and play in front of a crowd at what is one of the world's iconic cricket grounds," the captain of the team said. Ireland's thrilling five-run victory over Zimbabwe in a high-scoring Pool B match of the 2015 Men's ODI World Cup left Hobart with very special memories for those of us who played there. "The win against Zimbabwe has gone down in Irish cricket history as one of those legendary wins, and I know it inspired many kids back home to take up the sport, which is one thing we want to achieve as a squat," said one member of the squad who participated in the tournament.
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