On Tuesday 6 February, Cricket Ireland announced all the Ireland national cricket team’s squads for the upcoming Test, ODI and T20I series against the Afghanistan national cricket team.
The series between the two teams consists of a single Test match, a three-match T20I series and a three-match ODI series. The teams will meet for the first time in the test match from February 28 to March 3 in Abu Dhabi.
The focus will then turn to the three ODI matches, which will be played on March 7, 9 and 12 in Sharjah. Finally, the teams will face each other in the T20I series on March 15, 17 and 18 in Sharjah.
Notably, the upcoming Test match between the Ireland national cricket team and the Afghanistan national cricket team will be only the second time these two teams will meet, as the first Test between the teams dates back to 2019, in which gave rise to the Afghanistan national cricket team. victorious by a margin of 7 wickets.
Meanwhile, the Ireland national cricket team will be supported by the coaching staff consisting of head coach Heinrich Malan, batting coach Gary Wilson, bowling coach Ryan Eagleson and bowling coach Chris Brown in the series of Afghanistan.
In addition, regular captains Andrew Balbirnie and Paul Stirling will take charge of the teams; the former will lead in single Test matches and Stirling will lead in limited overs series.
The Ireland selection committee has included four new faces in the Test squad – Matthew Foster, Barry McCarthy, Theo van Woerkom and Craig Young – while in the white-ball team, Matthew Foster is the only player yet to play international cricket.
Talking about Ireland’s Test cricket journey, it started in 2018 and they have only played 7 Test matches so far, the last of which was against England in 2023. Afghanistan has also had a very similar journey to Ireland in cricket. test when they started. He played the purest format of the game in 2018 and has only played 8 Test matches so far, the last of which was against Sri Lanka in February 2024.
Full Ireland Test, ODI and T20I squads for Afghanistan series
Test team: 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 Team: 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 Team: 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
Complete series schedule:
Only test: from February 28 to March 3, Abu Dhabi; 10am start time
1st ODI – March 7, Sharjah; 15.30 start time
2nd ODI – March 9, Sharjah; 15.30 start time
3rd ODI – March 12, Sharjah; 15.30 start time
1st T20I – March 15, Sharjah; 8 pm start time
2nd T20I – March 17, Sharjah; 8 pm start time
3rd T20I – March 18, Sharjoh; 8 pm start time