Dublin, July 27 (UNI) Cricket Ireland on Wednesday announced that the 14-member squad, led by captain Andrew Balbirnie, which recently played against New Zealand in a three-match T20I series, has been retained for the upcoming series against South Africa and Afghanistan. Ireland will play against South Africa at Bristol on August 3 and 5, followed by the first three matches of the subsequent five-match T20Is against Afghanistan to be played at Stormont on August 9, 11, and 12, followed by the last two T20Is on August 15 and 17. Ireland hosted India for two T20Is on June 26 and 28, with the visitors winning the series 2-0, including a narrow four-run win in the second game. They recently hosted New Zealand in their 2022 home summer, losing both ODI and T20I series 3-0 despite coming close to unbelievable wins on many occasions. “We are now getting down to the final stages of our preparations as we build towards
the Men’s T20 World Cup in October.
The squad has faced two high-quality opponents in recent weeks, in India and New Zealand, and has stern tests ahead against South Africa and Afghanistan. “We believe, while the results have not gone our way, the brand of cricket that (head coach) Heinrich Malan is instilling in the squad is showing positive signs and the players are beginning to equip themselves well as they build towards the World Cup in Australia.
