Cricket: Ireland Bowl In Rain-affected 1st Pakistan ODI

MALAHIDE, Ireland, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th August, 2016) - Ireland captain William Porterfield won the toss in the first one-day international against Pakistan in Malahide on Thursday and elected to field. Rain, which led to a wet outfield, had reduced the match to a 47 overs per side contest from the scheduled 50. Ireland made just one change to the team that won the last ODI against Afghanistan last month to tie the series at 2-2, with the experienced Niall O'Brien returning from injury to replace Sean Terry Pakistan included two debutants in spin-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz and seamer Hasan Ali, in a side captained by Azhar Ali, their limited overs skipper. There is also a return to ODI side for the first time in 16 months for the experienced Umar Gul.

But paceman Wahab Riaz and leg-spinner Yasir Shah, who both featured in the recent 2-2 drawn Test series against England, were omitted. This is the first of a two-match series, with the teams set to return to Malahide, near Dublin, on Saturday ahead of Pakistan's five-match ODI campaign in England. Teams Ireland: William Porterfield (capt), Ed Joyce, John Anderson, Niall O'Brien (wkt), Kevin O'Brien, Paul Stirling, Gary Wilson, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Tim Murtagh, Peter Chase Pakistan: Azhar Ali (capt), Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Nawaz, Sarfraz Ahmed (wkt), Sharjeel Khan, Shoaib Malik, Umar Gul Umpires: Simon Fry (AUS), Mark Hawthorne (IRL) tv umpire: Marais Erasmus (RSA) Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)