DUBLIN – The national selectors have named Ireland Men’s white-ball squads for the multi-format series taking place in Abu Dhabi starting in late September.
This series marks the return to white-ball cricket for the senior men’s team after the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies back in June.
The fixtures are as follows:
- 27 September 2024: Ireland Men v South Africa Men (1st T20I; Abu Dhabi; start 4.30pm)
- 29 September 2024: Ireland Men v South Africa Men (2nd T20I; Abu Dhabi; start 4.30pm)
- 2 October 2024: Ireland Men v South Africa Men (1st ODI; Abu Dhabi; start 12.30pm)
- 4 October 2024: Ireland Men v South Africa Men (2nd ODI; Abu Dhabi; start 12.30pm)
- 7 October 2024: Ireland Men v South Africa Men (3rd ODI; Abu Dhabi; start 12.30pm)
THE SQUADS
Ireland Men’s ODI squad:
- Paul Stirling (captain), Mark Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Gavin Hoey, Fionn Hand, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Andy McBrine, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Craig Young
Ireland Men’s T20I squad:
- Paul Stirling (captain), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Fionn Hand, Matthew Humphreys, Graham Hume, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young
National selector, Andrew White on the squads selected:
“2026 and 2027 are pivotal years for our white-ball squads – those years being the next T20 and 50-over World Cups respectively. Given their timeframes, it means we are looking at this upcoming series against South Africa as the start of a new cycle. With that in mind, there are a number of selections and playing combinations that we will look at – albeit a number of uncapped players that were actively being considered – such as Morgan Topping and Liam McCarthy – who are still nursing injuries at present and were not able to be considered.
“One area we will explore on this tour is the top order in our T20 squad. We’ll be looking at introducing a new dynamic, with Andrew Balbirnie sitting out the T20Is on this occasion. There are only two T20Is in the upcoming series, but they will offer important opportunities as we try to increase our levels of performance again. Andrew remains very much central to our thoughts and will open the batting in the ODIs.
‘The Ireland Emerging and Wolves tours over the last 18 months have been invaluable to the players but also in terms of our succession planning. We need to deepen our pool of international cricketers and for the likes of Gavin Hoey, he will come into the international arena with greater confidence following his involvement in such fixtures and this is hugely important. The volume of international fixtures leading into 2027 is exciting and there will be opportunities for players to make their mark.’