Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

"Generally in this World Cup you would say that a batting team should keep going. But on a day like this - a pressure game - Ireland don't want to be out of game at the halfway stage by posting 210.

"They need to make sure they get to 250, 260, then say to Pakistan 'there you go, good luck". And we know that Ireland generally field really well."

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Afridi has really kept Porterfield under wraps with a tight line and a fast, flat trajectory. Not easy to score off. He's gone so well that Pakistan will perhaps be wondering if they should have selected the other leggie Yasir Shah. Three off the latest over.

Will Porterfield is clearly determined to be at the crease for the batting powerplay in three overs' time. He continues to operate with a low-risk approach, rotating the strike with Gary Wilson for five singles.

Image source, AP

Ilyas Najib: Pakistan really needed that wicket, just when Ireland threaten they seem to throw their wicket away.

Ooh, nervy moments for Will Porterfield as he gets a thick edge down to third man and it falls just short of the onrushing Rahat. Could he have gone for that? The skipper gets away with another one when he misses with a wild swing outside off. Signs that the pressure is telling slightly on Ireland here.

Ireland 136-4 (30 overs)

Batsmen: Porterfield 84*, Wilson 0*

Fall of wickets: 11-1 (Stirling 3), 56-2 (Joyce 11), 86-3 (N O'Brien 12), 134-4 (Balbirnie 18)

Bowling figures: Sohail 4-0-12-0, Adil 7-0-31-1, Rahat 6-0-25-1, Wahab 5-0-33-1, Shahid 7-0-28-0, Haris 1-0-7-1

Ireland won toss

Scorecard

Image source, AP

Gary Wilson is the new man - Ireland opt against introducing Kevin O'Brien. He's off the mark with a two to deep cover.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

"Balbirnie is having a reach for it outside off. That's disappointing for Ireland because they were just starting to control the game. If they can post something like 260 or 270, then they are asking Pakistan a question."

Listen to Test Match Special commentary by clicking on the 'Live Coverage' tab.

It was the straitjacket tightening, and it eventually suffocates Andrew Balbirnie. The newly introduced Haris Sohail strikes with his fourth ball, but it's a soft dismissal, Balbirnie trying to fetch a sweep from way outside off and spooning a top edge up in the air.

Scorecard

Image source, Reuters

Wahab Riaz, who was a little expensive in his first spell, is back. Pakistan have fielded really well in the infield today and Ahmed Shehzad frustrates Balbirnie with an excellent stop at point. The batsmen manage just two singles from the over - straitjacket tightening, or sensible consolidation to set the platform for Ireland's hitters? We shall see...

All-rounder Haris Sohail bowled a full ten overs in one of Pakistan's previous matches. No sign of him yet as Afridi continues. Ireland are struggling to penetrate the infield at the moment so sharp running could be a key weapon, and Ireland sneak a few good drop-and-run singles. Boom Boom just looking a little frustrated, but it's another decent over for Pakistan - three from it.

Pakistan have fielded well so far, but Misbah blots his copybook with a rather geriatric misfield that allows Ireland to run three. Umar Akmal by contrast is having a great day in the covers, stopping everything that Porterfield can throw at him with his fly-paper mitts. Out of the Brendon McCullum school of energetic converted wicket-keepers. A good over for Ireland, six from it, but you sense Porterfield will be a little frustrated it wasn't more.

Former Ireland spinner Kyle McCallan:, external Pitch is slow! 250-280 and we've a great chance here.

Six an over from here gets Ireland 263. Is that enough? Perhaps not, but 280 would certainly test a Pakistan batting line up that has had its troubles in this tournament. Afridi is doing a good job for his team here, not too many loose deliveries from the veteran, three singles all that Ireland can muster from his latest set.

Johan Botha
Ex-South Africa spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"Ireland are well set here. Most teams these days look to get 150 off the last 25 overs and I think they can get that. The game is starting to open up a little."

Listen to Test Match Special commentary by clicking on the 'Live Coverage' tab.

Image source, ALLSPORT

Ehsan has done really well since his return to the attack, after an expensive first spell in which Porterfield in particular took a liking to him. He's bowled a fuller length in this second spell, and the skipper hasn't been able to free his arms. Just two from the latest set, Ireland stalling just a little here.

Canny manoeuvring of the ball is a vital skill in the middle overs, and Porterfield shows his aptitude, dinking the ball backward of square on the leg side, where the man has just been taken out. The skipper follows that with a much-needed four, clubbing Afridi against the spin over mid-off.

Ireland don't want to do what England did against Sri Lanka - just coast through the middle overs at three an over and end up setting a target that's thirty short of par. Having said that, these two batsmen know this is an important partnership. The big shots remain in the locker for the moment, just four singles from Ehsan's latest over.

The streetwise Afridi really hustles through his overs - almost trying to sneak through his deliveries before the batsman has had a chance to glance up. Four runs from another rapid over.

Young Andrew Balbirnie is having a very decent tournament, averaging 45 after six knocks with a strike rate of 95. That sort of aggression is not really required at this point, but Ireland could do with loosening the shackles just a little - just two from a good over from the returning Ehsan.