Ban v Ire 2nd T20I: Match reduced to 17-over-a-side after second rain-delay

The second T20I between Bangladesh and Ireland at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram is finally set to begin following repeated rain interruptions.  

Following the second rain-delay, the match has been reduced to 17-over-a-side and is now scheduled to start at 3:40pm local time. According to the latest revised conditions, a 10-minute break will be allowed in between the two innings, Powerplay will be from overs 1-5, and two bowlers will be able to bowl the full quota of four overs while three bowlers can bowl three overs each. 

Earlier, Ireland had won the toss and elected to field in gloomy conditions in the port city, but a downpour soon after the toss saw the game delayed by around 75 minutes. The weather had improved and the match officials announced revised conditions of play -- reducing the game to a 19-over contest with a rescheduled start time at 3:15pm. However, the rain resumed shortly after the first announcement of the revised conditions. 

The Shakib Al Hasan-led side lead the series 1-0 and will be hoping for the covers to come off so that they can seal the series today at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium with a game in hand. 

The Tigers are going with an unchanged squad from the one that featured in the first T20I while Ireland made a solitary change with bowling all-rounder Fionn Hand replacing pacer Craig Young. 

Bangladesh are already enjoying their best streak in the format with four wins on the trot as the Tigers whitewashed world champions England in their previous three-match T20I series at home and followed it up with a 22-run victory [via DLS] against the Irish side in a rain-affected contest in the first T20I last Monday. 

Meanwhile, Ireland, who lost the three-match ODI series 2-0 with one game washed out, will be looking for a turnaround of fortunes and register their first victory on the tour. 

Playing XIs:

Bangladesh: 1 Liton Das (wk), 2 Rony Talukdar, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 5 Towhid Hridoy, 6 Shamim Hossain, 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Nasum Ahmed, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Hasan Mahmud.

Ireland: 1 Paul Stirling (capt), 2 Ross Adair, 3 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 4 Harry Tector, 5 Curtis Campher, 6 George Dockrell, 7 Gareth Delany, 8 Mark Adair, 9 Fionn Hand, 10 Graham Hume, 11 Ben White.