Twenty20 Pulse

Ireland may be heading into the World Twenty20 without their best player but captain William Porterfield believes the side can still achieve great things during the tournament.

The Irish have seen star batsman Eoin Morgan called up by England just as was the case ahead of the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean with Ed Joyce.

But five years ago Ireland still managed to beat Pakistan and Bangladesh – one of their Group A opponents along with World Twenty20 champions India.

Porterfield, an opening batsman who plays English county cricket for Gloucestershire, is hoping the form Ireland showed in dominating the 2011 World Cup qualifying tournament in South Africa and then by thrashing Worcestershire by 94 runs in an English Friends Provident Trophy 50-overs per side match, will carry on into the World Twenty20.

He has already shown he knows how to play a captain’s innings – his 69 off 110 balls was central to Ireland’s win over Worcestershire – and Porterfield reckons the side are getting better all the time

“The nucleus of the squad is still there from the 2007 World Cup. And we’ve added the likes of Peter Connell and Regan West.

“We now have more depth and there’s more quality to choose from.”

Porterfield may be one day lost to Ireland, just as Morgan and Joyce have been.

But in the meantime his experience of top-class cricket – his 85 was vital in the 2007 World Cup win over Bangladesh – could help the Irish again make a mark in a global event.

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