HERE we go again. Cricket really does itself no favours with the frequency of its global events. A 50-over World Cup every four years – like other major sports – is about right, but when it comes to twenty20, cricket goes all Andrea True Connection.

‘More, more, more, how do you like it, how do you like it,’ is the chorus emanating from ICC headquarters in Dubai as the world’s best players prepare for the THIRD T20 World Cup since November 2021.

Do followers even remember who won the last two finals? England beat Pakistan 18 months ago, and Australia beat New Zealand the year before.

The major team missing from that quartet is driving this overkill, soaking up billions of dollars and rupees to fund its enormous cricket industry. India runs the world game in all but name, making all the big calls and getting its way in everything – except on the field in recent World Cups.

It’s extraordinary really, as India has an incredible team, and great depth hardened in its own Indian Premier League, currently valued at over $11billion and with $30bn of Saudi investment on its way.

The T20 format took off after India won the inaugural global tournament in 2007, but amazingly they have not won it since as five other countries claimed the crown.

This year could well be theirs, with a star-packed squad spearheaded by the batting of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Sun Yadav backed by menacing spinners Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal. The Indians will get their first outing on Wednesday at the newly-erected Nassau County International Stadium in New York, where they meet Paul Stirling’s Ireland team.

Four months ago the venue was no more than a clearing in Eisenhower Park, Long Island, but with stands from the Las Vegas Grand Prix and US Open tennis, pitches laid in Adelaide and grown in Florida, nothing is impossible in the USA.

Few of the 38,000 tickets remain unsold for Wednesday, and none at all for next weekend’s tense meeting with Pakistan. Ireland will have to beat one of that big two to qualify for the Super Eights but go into the tournament with confidence after recent impressive victories over Pakistan, Netherlands and Scotland.

Head coach Heinrich Malan has shaped a strong batting side packed with match-winning all-rounders and a hand of experienced seamers spearheaded by Josh Little. Much will depend on the Gujarat Titans left-armer bouncing back from a frustrating IPL when he played just once.

The worries concern conditions in the new stadium, especially with a spin attack relying on specialists Ben White and Gareth Delany and three occasional twirlers. Strength in depth is also an issue, with a big drop-off in standard outside the first 11 or 12. Then again, that was also the case in 2007 when Ireland made their first breakthrough.

Stirling will talk the talk about beating India but odds of 1/18 are about right. If Ireland have any ambitions of qualifying for the second phase then Canada and the US must be vanquished, but both have beaten Ireland in recent meetings. The Canadians have an experienced squad – only three of the 15 are under 30 – and have recent wins over Scotland, UAE and Nepal.

The USA look even more dangerous, having beaten their northern neighbours 4-0 recently, and Bangladesh 2-1 last week. They have recruited well too, bringing in several gun players, none more than Corey Anderson who once held the record for the fastest ODI century when he played for New Zealand.

His brand of big hitting will enthral those Americans who enjoy a ‘home run’. And the new trend in T20 is toward hitting as many deliveries as possible out of the ballpark.

The ‘more, more, more’ ethos doesn’t just apply to money, with the delicate balance between bat and ball now seriously distorted. Eight of the nine highest IPL scores since its inception came over the last six weeks, with the highest Hyderabad’s 287-3, valiantly chased by Bangalore’s fifth highest 263-5. The scores are comparable with the first World Cup final in 1975, when West Indies 291-8 was too much for Australia’s 274. But that day, the Windies batted 60 overs, Hyderabad just 20.

Six-hitting has been completely devalued too – in 1975 the West Indies hit three, the Aussies none. In that IPL game Sunrisers won that count 22-16.

IPL clubs refuse to hire Pakistanis, leaving their players off the beat of current thinking and practice. But as Ireland saw in Clontarf, they still have fierce fast bowlers, tricky spinners and belligerent bats. That last game in the group on Sunday week, could be an epic, deciding both sides’ fate.

IRELAND SQUAD: Paul Stirling (capt), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young.

FIXTURES

Wed 5 June: India v Ireland (New York)
Fri 7 June: Ireland v Canada (New York)
Fri 14 June: USA v Ireland (Florida)
Sun 16 June: Ireland v Pakistan (Florida)
All games 3.30pm Irish time