ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup champions England will return to their favourite home venue when they face Ireland in an ODI at Edgbaston in 2020.
England’s white-ball team wrote themselves into sporting history this year when they galvanised the nation by lifting the World Cup – a triumph fuelled by two brilliant wins in Birmingham, against powerhouses India and Australia, along the way.
Next summer Eoin Morgan, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes and Co will face the fascinating challenge of Ireland at Edgbaston, in a day/night ODI on Saturday 12 September.
It will be the first opportunity to see ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup champions England back at Edgbaston since they lifted the world trophy.
The customary pulsating Edgbaston atmosphere is assured for the day/nighter (12.30pm start) and the world champs will have to be at their best against an emerging and a dangerous Ireland side which has overturned them in the past.
Ireland will have their eyes on another upset but England’s players will be full of confidence at the stadium where they have a mighty record in al formats and in ODIs as much as any.
Unbeaten in ODIs in the Second City since 2014, England have unfurled some of their greatest 50-over displays there. In this summer’s World Cup they faced the two other biggest nations in world cricket and saw them off in spectacular style.
A group game against India saw Jonny Bairstow (111) and Ben Stokes (79) lift England to 337 before Chris Woakes removed opener K.L. Rahul for a duck, a blow from which India never fully recovered, beaten by 31 runs.
Then came Australia in the semi-final and England produced as close to the perfect ODI performance as can be. Brilliant bowling, led by Woakes with three for 20, and fielding restricted the Aussies to 223 before Jason Roy’s explosive 85 (65 balls) launched England towards an eight-wicket win achieved with an incredible 17.5 overs to spare.
No England fan lucky enough to be there in the tumultuous stands will ever forget that day. Next up for an ODI in the Fortress: Ireland.
England will be confident, but not cocky. Remember the 2011 World Cup? In Bangalore, England made a hefty 327 – but Ireland got past it with five balls to spare. Make no mistake, Ireland are dangerous.
Edgbaston’s 2020 Major Match Ticket Ballot is NOW OPEN and gives you the best chance of securing Major Match Day tickets.
The Ticket Ballot will close at 5pm on Wednesday 25 September, with ballot winners allocated from Friday 27 September. All remaining tickets will go on general sale from Thursday 10 October.
