page_title: Pakistani cricket team in Ireland in 2018
section_title: Background
hierarchical_section_title: Pakistani cricket team in Ireland in 2018 / Background
caption_attribution_description: Malahide Cricket Ground hosting an ODI between Ireland and England in 2013
context_page_description: The Pakistan cricket team visited Ireland in May 2018 to play a Test match against the Ireland cricket team. It was the first Test match played by the Ireland men's team since they were awarded Test status by the International Cricket Council in June 2017. The Ireland women's cricket team had previously played a Women's Test match, also against Pakistan, in July 2000.
  Pakistan won the one-off fixture by five wickets, with Ireland's Kevin O'Brien named as the man of the match, after he scored the first century for Ireland in Test cricket. Despite the loss, Cricket Ireland deemed the match to be a great success. Pakistan's captain, Sarfaraz Ahmed, praised the performance of the Ireland team during the match.
context_section_description: In July 2000, the Ireland and Pakistan women's teams faced each other in a Women's Test match at College Park, Dublin. Ireland women won the match by an innings and 54 runs, with Isobel Joyce named as the player of the match. It was the first Test match played by the Ireland women's cricket team.
  On 22 June 2017, at the ICC's annual conference, the Ireland and Afghanistan men's teams were awarded Test status, becoming Full Members of the ICC in the process. The ICC confirmed that a single Test match would be played between Ireland and Pakistan during their meeting in Auckland in October 2017. Cricket Ireland confirmed the date of the Test match at their board meeting in October 2017, with The Village, Malahide, announced as the venue the following month. The match took place ahead of Pakistan's Test series against England and their T20I series against Scotland.
  The ICC appointed three English officials for the match. Richard Illingworth and Nigel Llong were the onfield umpires, with Chris Broad named as the match referee. The Umpire Decision Review System (DRS) was not used for the Test match, as Cricket Ireland decided they could not afford the cost of using the system.
  Warren Deutrom, CEO of Cricket Ireland, said that he was "delighted" that Ireland's debut Test match will be played at home and thanked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in being Ireland's first Test opponent. Cricket Ireland's director of high performance, Richard Holdsworth, said that Ireland would like to play a return fixture in Pakistan, as long as the security situation in the country remains stable. Deutrom later confirmed that they are considering the PCB's request to tour Pakistan at a later date.
  Pakistan's last international fixtures before the Test match was a three-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series against the West Indies in Karachi in April 2018. Pakistan won the series 3–0. Pakistan's last Test match fixtures were against Sri Lanka, in the United Arab Emirates, in September and October 2017. Sri Lanka won both matches. Ireland had played in the 2018 Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe in March 2018. They finished the tournament in fifth place, from the ten teams that took part, failing to qualify for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
  Ahead of the Test match, Ireland's captain, William Porterfield, said he that he was hoping local conditions would help his side, adding that subcontinental teams take some time to adjust. Pakistan's captain, Sarfaraz Ahmed, said that the team was really looking forward to playing against Ireland and was confident his young side would perform well in difficult conditions. Sarfraz later went on to say that "it is a big honour for me and my team to play this historic Test match" and that the team was ready to play. At a press conference the day before the match, Porterfield said that "a lot of people have devoted a lot of their lives to make this happen" and that "it is going to be a pretty special occasion".
caption: The Village, Malahide (pictured here in 2013), was chosen as the venue for Ireland's first Test match.
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