Ireland win toss and bowl first against Pakistan

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Mar 17 (Reuters) Ireland won the toss and elected to bowl first in the Group D match at Sabina Park today.

Ireland named the same team that tied with Zimbabwe on Thursday, while Pakistan made two changes to their side for a match they must not lose if they are to maintain their hopes of progressing to the Super Eights stage.

Pakistan omitted seamer Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria and brought in Azhar Mahmood and Mohammad Sami.

Pakistan are still without all-rounder Shahid Afridi as this is the fourth and final game of his four-match ICC ban. He becomes available for the Zimbabwe match on Wednesday.

Teams: Ireland: Trent Johnston (captain), William Porterfield, Jeremy Bray, Eoin Morgan, Niall O'Brien (wicketkeeper), Andre Botha, Kevin O'Brien, Andrew White, Kyle McCallan, Dave Langford-Smith, Boyd Rankin.

Pakistan: Inzamam-ul-Haq (captain), Imran Nazir, Mohammad Hafeez, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal (wicketkeeper), Azhar Mahmood, Mohammad Sami, Rao Iftikhar, Umar Gul.

REUTERS DH RAI2042