Ireland target Bangladesh game

Kevin O'Brien, the Ireland allrounder, has pinpointed the league game against Bangladesh as the one crucial to his side's chances of progressing in the World Twenty20.

The other side in Ireland's group is one of the tournament favourites, India, and two of the three teams move on to the Super Eights. "Bangladesh is the first group game for us and if we can get a good result, then I think we will go through," he told the Irish Daily Mail. "That's unless India have an off day against ourselves or Bangladesh, which I can't really see happening to be honest."

Ireland confirmed their standing as the leading Associate nation in the world by winning the ICC World Cup Qualifier in South Africa last month, but have had a rough time during the warm-up games for the World Twenty20. They have lost all three of their games so far, and have two more left before the tournament kicks off on June 5.

The event also provides the Ireland side the rare opportunity to play in packed stadiums, something O'Brien is looking forward to. "Bangladesh and India … bring such great crowds and such a noise, we have to just live for those two games because you might never play in front of 28,000 again," he said. "It's going to be good - I can't actually wait."

Ireland's key match against Bangladesh is on June 8 at Trent Bridge, where they take on India two days later.