IRELAND step out onto the Adelaide Oval at 3.30am tomorrow for yet another of those biggest-in-our-cricket-history matches.

The stakes have been high all through this World Cup, with ICC ready to pounce on any slip to justify their reduction of the next competition from 14 to 10 teams.

But Ireland now stand on three wins out of five and hold their destiny in their own hands.

A win would ensure they qualify for the quarter-finals - and face Australia in Adelaide.

They might even play tomorrow's game safe in the knowledge they have qualified if the West Indies-UAE game (10pm tonight) succumbs to the forecasted rain.

Should that happen then it's a shoot-out at Adelaide with the loser heading to Wellington to face New Zealand.

One man relishing the battle is Niall O'Brien who has an excellent record in World Cups.

The Leicestershire keeper has scored five 50s in three events and was Ireland's leading batsman in 2007 (216 runs) and 2011 (205).

Already here he has made 187 runs, behind only Ed Joyce (235) and Andy Balbirnie (218).

Although he would prefer to keep wicket - which he hasn't been asked to do since he was suspended in 2012 - has NOT having the gloves helped his batting?

“The stats over the last year or two would suggest I am doing better with the bat but I don't think that's anything to do with not keeping wicket”, he told the Star.

“I am more focused and reliable player now as I matured and got a little bit older and wiser and settled down off the pitch. I am scoring more runs day-in, day-out for Ireland and for my county.

“I want to keep wicket and believe I am the man for the job but at the moment it's not playing out that way.

“All I can do is practice hard and score my runs - and not kick the ball for overthrows in the field!”

Playing Pakistan brings back memories of the greatest innings of O'Brien's life - a match-winning 72 in that famous win in Jamaica.

“Eight years! A lot has happened in my career and more importantly the landscape of Irish cricket has grown because of our great win that day.

“I remember being in very poor form leading into the game so much so that I didn't even bat in the nets the day before or on the morning of the game.

“I went to the car park in the stadium during the interval with the coach, Adi Birrell, and hit a few balls. People must have thought I was mad but something clicked in the middle and I felt in total control during that knock.

“It was a tough pitch and difficult conditions so I was thrilled to play in the manner I did and I got valuable support from Porty and Kev.”

Nowadays the man everyone calls Nobby is, alongside Ed Joyce, one of the senior men.

“Ed is a class above the rest of us with the bat but I do try and help out some of the younger lads, especially Balbo this winter.

“I was guilty as a young lad of getting down on myself and maybe not focusing on the right things at the right time so I am always there if lads want to chat.

“We all feed off each other. The great thing is in cricket I can learn from someone who is making their debut as well as they can learn from me who has played a bit longer.

“You're always learning in cricket.”

The Irish team will have a tough test today against a Pakistan side that has started to come to the boil after a terrible start.

The Tigers rely on three very different left-arm seamers. “Wahab Riaz is quick - no doubt - and very skilful,” says O'Brien. “Mohammed Irfan is huge, 7'1” so will cause different problems as can Rahat Ali.

“I think we need to use their pace and not get too carried away with big shots. Their bowling line-up has been handy

throughout the competition so it will be great fun out there and a great test.”

While no-one in the party is prepared to accept that Ireland could be going home this weekend, one man whose international career is winding down after nearly 50 years is manager Roy Torrens.

O'Brien is grateful for his guiding hand over the years.

“Our manager Roy Torrens is on his last tour as manager. The big man has been awesome to us all over his time and a very friendly and generous man.

“We will miss him a great deal when he leaves his post but he has seen some wonderful games of cricket and we have laughed and cried together.

“I look forward to being heckled by him in the stands this summer.”


IRELAND v PAKISTAN ODIs

2007 (Jamaica) Ireland won by 3 wickets

2011 (Belfast) Pakistan won by 7 wickets

2011 (Belfast) Pakistan won by 5 wickets

2013 (Dublin) match tied

2013 (Dublin) Pakistan won by 2 wickets