Ireland will be huge underdogs when they face Pakistan in their inaugural men's cricket Test match at Malahide tomorrow.
But several members of their squad already know what it's like to cause a huge upset against Pakistan, having played in the Ireland side that knocked the Asian giants out of the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean with a stunning three-wicket win in Jamaica.
It was the stuff of fairytales with Ireland, a team of part-timers containing school teachers, farmers and postmen defeating the Asian giants -- and on St Patrick's Day as well.
One of the few green-tinged pitches in the West Indies, and thereby reminiscent of surfaces at home in Ireland, was matched by fans wearing Irish green shirts in a jubilant crowd at Kingston's Sabina Park.
The fairytale soon became a nightmare, however, when Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer, the former England batsman who in his previous development role with the International Cricket Council had done much to raise the standard of non-Test nations, was found dead in his hotel room the next morning.
Ireland dismissed Pakistan for a meagre 132 with fast bowler Boyd Rankin -- set to be involved in the Test -- taking three wickets.
Ireland were soon 15 for two before an innings of 72 from Niall O'Brien, also in the Test squad, got them back on track before now-retired captain Trent Johnston won the match with a six off Azhar Mahmood.
- 'Something special' -
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"The start of an amazing journey and a day when the rest of the world sat up and took notice of us as a cricketing nation."