Twenty20 WC: Australia could face their ‘Zimbabwe Moment’ against Ireland

Colombo: Australia begins the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka this week facing their potential "Zimbabwe moment" when they come up against Ireland.

There is a fear that if George Bailey`s team is upset by Ireland in their opening match this Wednesday in the Twenty20 World Cup, it could eclipse their most embarrassing performance by to date, the 1983 World Cup loss to Zimbabwe. According to reports, playing a minnow like Ireland should be a bit of light practice, a little hit and giggle before the main event, but the past two years, have shown that players with the Baggy Green have been at the bottom of the heap in the quickest format of the game. Australia still sit below Bangladesh in Twenty20 rankings, and Ireland`s new bowling coach, Craig McDermott, who recently quit the Australian job, has been assuring his new charges they can beat Australia, according to Ireland captain William Porterfield. "But he`s seen what we`ve got and he`s got a lot of confidence within the squad that we can go out there and beat anyone," Porterfield said of McDermott. ANI