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Dublin Guardians will lock horns with Edinburgh Castle Rockers in Match 21 of the European T20 Premier League (ETPL) 2026 at The Village, Malahide, on September 11. The contest could be a crucial one for the Guardians, who will be looking to turn their campaign around against an Edinburgh side that has enjoyed a strong start to the tournament.
Dublin have a squad packed with international experience. Ravichandran Ashwin leads the side, while James Vince, Daryl Mitchell, Harry Tector, Muhammad Waseem and Josh Little form the core of a well-rounded unit. Their most recent XI against Amsterdam Flames also gives a strong indication of the combination they could prefer for the Malahide fixture.
James Vince is likely to continue opening the innings after featuring at the top in Dublin’s most recent match. The experienced English batter has the game to take advantage of the powerplay, particularly with his ability to find gaps and maintain a healthy scoring rate.
Against Edinburgh’s quality pace attack, Vince’s start could determine how quickly Dublin establish control.
Daryl Mitchell should partner Vince at the top. The New Zealand all-rounder brings immense experience in T20 cricket and can play both the aggressor and anchor depending on the match situation.
His ability to contribute with the ball also gives Ashwin greater flexibility when managing the bowling attack.
Harry Tector has become one of Ireland’s most dependable batters and is expected to occupy the No. 3 position. He can rotate the strike efficiently while possessing enough power to attack spin during the middle overs.
His battle against Mitchell Santner and Mark Watt could be particularly interesting at Malahide.
Sanjay Krishnamurthi has been one of the more promising options in Dublin’s batting unit and featured at No. 4 in their previous outing. His ability to contribute with both bat and ball makes him an attractive option in the middle order.
Dublin will hope he can provide momentum after the powerplay while also giving Ashwin another bowling option.
George Dockrell is likely to retain his place in the middle order. The Ireland all-rounder has considerable experience of playing at Malahide and understands how to pace an innings on home conditions.
His left-handed batting also gives Dublin some variety against Edinburgh’s predominantly right-handed bowling options.
Vijay Shankar could once again slot in at No. 6 as the seam-bowling all-rounder. The former India international can provide stability with the bat and chip in with useful overs.
His presence gives the Guardians additional depth and allows them to maintain a strong batting lineup without compromising their bowling resources.
Captain Ravichandran Ashwin remains central to Dublin’s plans. The veteran off-spinner is expected to bat in the lower middle order while leading the bowling attack.
Ashwin’s ability to read conditions and make tactical changes could be crucial against an Edinburgh lineup featuring several aggressive batters. His experience will also be particularly valuable in a pressure game.
Noah Croes is expected to take the wicketkeeping gloves. He featured behind the stumps in Dublin’s previous match and could continue in that role.
His primary responsibility will be to provide security with the gloves while contributing useful runs towards the lower-middle order.
Matthew Hollard should spearhead the pace attack alongside Josh Little and Craig Young. He offers a useful seam option and can be relied upon to bowl hard lengths during the middle overs.
Against Edinburgh’s powerful batting lineup, Hollard’s ability to restrict the scoring rate could prove important.
Josh Little is almost certain to feature as one of Dublin’s premier fast bowlers. The Ireland left-armer brings genuine pace and has the ability to strike with the new ball.
His duel with Edinburgh’s opening pair of Ross Adair and JJ Smuts could have a major bearing on the contest.
Craig Young is likely to complete the bowling attack. The experienced Irish seamer provides control and can operate during different phases of the innings.
His ability to complement Little’s left-arm pace with a more conventional seam-bowling approach gives Dublin a well-rounded attack.
James Vince, Daryl Mitchell, Harry Tector, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, George Dockrell, Vijay Shankar, Ravichandran Ashwin (C), Noah Croes (WK), Matthew Hollard, Josh Little, Craig Young
