Andrew Balbirnie. Photo: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Andy Balbirnie has been left out of the Ireland T20 squad that will play a two-match ‘home’ series against South Africa in Abu Dhabi at the end of this month, as the selectors look to bring through new blood ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The 33-year-old former skipper remains “very much central to our thoughts” according to national selector Andrew White, and will open the batting in the three-match one-day international series that follows in the first week of October.
“One area we will explore on this tour is the top order in our T20 squad,” White said. “We’ll be looking to introduce a new dynamic with the two T20s offering important opportunities as we try to increase our levels of performance again.”
Star paceman Josh Little will miss the entire tour as he fulfills his latest franchise gig with the Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Super League.
T20 SQUAD: Paul Stirling (c), 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
ODI SQUAD: Stirling (c), Mark Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Campher, Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Gavin Hoey, Hand, Hume, Humphreys, Andy McBrine, Rock, Tector, Tucker, Young