On Tuesday, February 6, Cricket Ireland announced all the squads of the Ireland National Cricket Team for the upcoming Test, ODI, and T20I series against the Afghanistan National Cricket Team.
The series between the two teams consists of a one-off Test match, a three-match T20I series, and a three-match ODI series. The teams will first lock horns in the Test match from February 28 to March 3 in Abu Dhabi.
The focus will next shift towards the three ODI matches, which will be played on March 7, 9, and 12 in Sharjah. At last, the teams will go head-to-head in the T20I series on March 15, 17 and 18 in Sharjah.
Notably, the upcoming Test match between the Ireland National Cricket Team and Afghanistan National Cricket Team will be only the second time that these two sides will lock horns with the first Test between the teams coming way back in 2019 which saw the Afghanistan National Cricket Team emerge victorious by a margin of 7 wickets.
Meanwhile, the Ireland National Cricket Team will be supported in the Afghanistan series by the coaching staff that consists of head coach Heinrich Malan, batting coach Gary Wilson, pace bowling coach Ryan Eagleson, and spin bowling coach Chris Brown.
Also, the regular captains in Andrew Balbirnie and Paul Stirling will take charge of the teams with the former leading in one-off Test matches and Stirling leading in limited overs series.
The Ireland selection committee has included four new faces in the Test squad in Matthew Foster, Barry McCarthy, Theo van Woerkom, and Craig Young while in the white-ball squad, Matthew Foster is the only player who is yet to play international cricket.
Speaking about the Test cricket journey of Ireland, it began in in 2018 and so far they have just played 7 Test matches with the latest one coming against England in 2023. Afghanistan have also had a journey very similar to Ireland in Test cricket as they started playing the purest format of the game in 2018 and have played just 8 Test matches so far with the latest one coming against Sri Lanka in February 2024.
Complete Ireland Test, ODI, T20I Squads For Afghanistan Series
Test squad: Mark Adair, Andrew Balbirnie (c), Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Matthew Foster, Graham Hume, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, James McCollum, PJ Moor, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Theo van Woerkom, Craig Young
ODI squad: Mark Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Matthew Foster, Graham Hume, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Paul Stirling (c), Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Theo van Woerkom, Craig Young
T20I squad: Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Paul Stirling (c), Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young
Full Series Schedule:
Only Test – 28 February – 3 March, Abu Dhabi; 10am start time
1st ODI – 7 March, Sharjah; 3.30pm start time
2nd ODI – 9 March, Sharjah; 3.30pm start time
3rd ODI – 12 March, Sharjah; 3.30pm start time
1st T20I – 15 March, Sharjah; 8pm start time
2nd T20I – 17 March, Sharjah; 8pm start time
3rd T20I – 18 March, Sharjah; 8pm start time
