Ireland Cricket set for return in the new year.
Ireland’s men cricket team will return for to play in January 2021. Cricket has been on hold since Ireland’s heroic win over World Cup winners England in August of this year. First up for Ireland head coach Graham Ford and his men will be a four game series against UAE starting on the 8th and ending on the 14th of January.
The three matches against Afghanistan that follow carry a higher degree of significance for the Irish as they will be part of the World Cup Super League. This league will make up part of the qualifying phase for the Cricket World Cup in 2023. Ireland currently have 10 points and sit in 5th position in the Super League having beaten England 2-1.
Of the 13 teams in the league, hosts India along with the top seven will automatically qualify. In addition, the bottom five sides will enter another qualifying event against five Associated sides. Two successful team from this event will make it to the 2023 World Cup.
Confidence is high heading into next month’s fixtures, with Ford emphasizing that the important win over England, as well as the victories over the T20 World Champions, the West Indies “have helped build self-belief within the players and have demonstrated the progress we are making as a squad.”
Ireland Squad and Abu Dabhi Series Dates
Ireland Squad:
Andrew Balbirnie (C), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, David Delany, Gareth Delany, Josh Little, Andrew McBrine, Barry McCarthy, James McCollum, Kevin O’Brien, Neil Rock, Simi Singh, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Craig Young.
International Dates:
UAE vs Ireland: January 8th, 10th, 12th & 14th.
Afghanistan vs Ireland: January 18th, 21st & 23rd.
