Cricket World Cup: Ireland vs Zimbabwe - Preview

Hobart: With their eyes on the quarterfinal spot, Ireland take on Zimbabwe in a cricket World Cup Pool B clash, in a battle of minnows here on Saturday.

The Irish are just ahead of Zimbabwe in the league standings with four points from three matches, having beaten the West Indies and the UAE, compared to the Africans' two points from four matches.

Ireland are arguably the most impressive of all the four non-Test or Associate sides at this World Cup though they must be a bit low after their 201-run loss to South Africa in Canberra.

Victory against Zimbabwe would give Ireland a good chance of progressing to the quarterfinals though they must still face India, before finishing their pool campaign against Pakistan.

For Zimbabwe, tomorrow's match at Bellerive Oval is their penultimate pool game and their last match is against India. With only one win so far, their chances of making it to the knockouts are very slim.

They will be without captain Elton Chigumbura after the 28-year-old all-rounder suffered a thigh injury when he tripped and fell while chasing a ball in Sunday's 20-run loss to Pakistan at the Gabba in Brisbane. Brendan Taylor will lead the side in Chigumbura's absence.

The only other time these two teams met in a World Cup match they played out a thrilling tie in Jamaica in 2007, which contributed to Ireland memorably qualifying for the Super Eights.

The two teams have met in five completed ODIs. Ireland have won three, Zimbabwe one and there has been one tie. If Ireland win tomorrow, it would be their third victory of the tournament, which would make this their most successful World Cup campaign ever.