Match starts 1430 GMT Saturday
Pakistan will look to dampen Irish enthusiasm carried over from their thrilling tie with Zimbabwe when the sides meet on Saturday. 
If Ireland can cause another upset, it would mean Inzamam-ul-Haq's side catching an early plane home.
With Shahid Afridi still banned, coach Bob Woolmer is considering promoting keeper Kamran Akmal to open the innings because of their top-order struggles.
But Ireland are intent on making it a memorable St Patrick's Day.
With his side having to take the field less than 48 hours after their dramatic last-ball finale against Zimbabwe, captain Trent Johnston insisted: "If we bowl well up front against Pakistan, and if we bat well, we could be competitive.
"We will get out there and give it everything we've got. We're going to fight hard.
"If we're going to beat Pakistan we'll have to play out of our skins and give it 120%. Who knows what is possible? We beat the West Indies a few years ago, so anything is possible in sport.
"We have to play for 100 overs if we're going to beat Pakistan, and do the same against West Indies."
Although many Pakistanis would consider a defeat by Ireland unthinkable, the pressure is on them after they lost to the West Indies in the opening game of the tournament.
Defeat by Ireland would see them unable to reach the Super 8 phase, whatever the result of Monday's game between West Indies and Zimbabwe.
Looking ahead to the all-important game, Woolmer said: "I have watched Ireland and I have been impressed by their discipline.
"Our game against Ireland will be a tough one as they have proved that they are one of the best-equipped of the associate sides and are very keen and well-organised."
But despite the opening day defeat, he added: "Let's make sure we remain positive for the rest of the tournament.
"The opening match of the World Cup was the type of game we can expect from all the sides here. It was a tough, no-holds-barred game."
Pakistan have never met Ireland in an official one-day international, although the sides did meet in two 60-over tour matches in Dublin on consecutive days in May 1987.
Shoaib Mohammed hit an unbeaten 101 in the first game as the tourists won by 114 runs, while Manzoor Elahi smashed 109 off 65 balls, including 10 sixes, in the second as they won on run rate.
Pakistan's last World Cup game against an ICC associate member country saw them cruise to a 171-victory over Namibia in 2003, with Wasim Akram taking 5-28.
Ireland (from): T Johnson (capt), A Botha, J Bray, K Carroll, P Gillespie, D Langford-Smith, K McCallan, J Mooney, P Mooney, E Morgan, K O'Brien (wkt), N O'Brien, W Porterfield, B Rankin, A White.
Pakistan (from): Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt), Azhar Mahmood, Danish Kaneria, Imran Nazir, Kamran Akmal (wkt), Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Sami, Mohammad Yousuf, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Rao Iftikhar, Shoaib Malik, Umar Gul, Yasir Arafat, Younis Khan.
Umpires: B Bowden (NZ) and B Jerling (SA).
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