Malan says Irish must believe they can shock India

Ireland coach Heinrich Malan says his players must go into their T20 World Cup opener against India on 5 June in New York believing that they can beat the star-studded opposition.

Malan, who has just signed a contract extension which will keep him in the Ireland job until the summer of 2027, says he's "excited about playing India" and wants his players to have the same mentality.

"When you look at T20 cricket you need maybe one or two players to have a special time out and you can take down any team in the world down," said the South African native.

To back up his argument, Malan can point to his Ireland team's victory over eventual tournament winners England at the last T20 World Cup in Australia two years ago.

"India are obviously coming fresh off the IPL and I see they’ve rested a couple of guys in their warm-up stuff.

"[But] T20 cricket has shown up over a fair period of time that if you play a certain way and you have the right intent and players come to the party on the day, that all teams that are going to compete at this competition are equally matched."

India, who were beaten on home turf by Australia at last year's 50-overs World Cup Final, will be captained by Rohit Sharma with ex-skipper Virat Kohli still a crucial component of their batting line-up.

Yuzvendra Chahal, the only bowler to take 200 wickets in IPL history, is among four spinners selected for the tournament while Rishabh Pant is among the squad's two wicketkeepers some 16 months after he survived a serious car crash.

With India certain to have huge support in New York, just as they have wherever they play, Malan is hoping that US-based Irish folk will take the opportunity to cheer on their team at the Nassau County Stadium on Long Island.

"We need everyone there to be honest," added the Ireland coach.

"It doesn’t matter where you play India. We’ve played them at home over the last couple of years and they get people behind them. It will be nice to get some Irish supporters out there and I’m sure we will.

"Hopefully we can play some good cricket over the week that we’re there and catch up with them for a beer afterwards."

Malan admits the tournament is a big opportunity for his side to increase the appeal of a game which still remains in the minority sport bracket on the island of Ireland.

"Hopefully people will switch the telly on and see a successful team and hopefully that will encourage people to go and play a wonderful sport.

"We want to try and work across the system and across our pathways so we can try and get those players upskilled and hopefully play for Ireland in years to come."

The Irish go into the tournament having beaten Pakistan in the opening game of the recent T20 series in Dublin before winning a tri-nations series in the Netherlands against the hosts and Scotland.

After being appointed as white-ball skipper following Ireland's disappointing failure to qualify for the last year's World Cup, Paul Stirling will lead the Irish in the USA and the Caribbean and Malan says he is the ideal man to take the team into battle.

"The experience, the calmness that Stirlo brings from being on the road so much over the last five years and his ability to keep things really simple and have a real consistency in the way that he communicates [is his great attribute]. He is very precise," added Malan.