DUBLIN – A 15-player squad has been selected for the 2025 ICC Under-19s Women’s T20 World Cup which will be held in Malaysia from 13 January to 2 February 2025.
The 16-team event is being held for only the second time – the first-ever edition, won by India, was held in 2023 in South Africa.
Ireland has been drawn in a competitive Group that includes England (runners-up from 2023), Pakistan and USA.
The Ireland Under-19s Women’s squad is:
- Amy Hunter (Instonians/Malahide) captain, Abbi Harrison (Waringstown), Jennifer Jackson (Eglinton), Niamh MacNulty (Merrion) vice-captain, Aimee Maguire (The Hills), Lara McBride (The Hills), Kia McCartney (Coleraine), Ellie McGee (Rush), Julie McNally (Clontarf), Lucy Neely (Fox Lodge), Freya Sargent (Clontarf) vice-captain, Millie Spence (Bready), Annabel Squires (Merrion), Alice Tector (Phoenix), Alice Walsh (Clontarf).
Travelling reserve player: Rebecca Lowe (Lisburn)
Non-travelling reserves: Síbha Bhoja (Merrion), Ally Boucher (Merrion), Genevieve Morrissey (Clontarf)
Coaching and support staff: Glenn Querl (Head Coach), James Cameron-Dow (Assistant Coach), Nigel Jones (Team Manager), Stuart Thompson (Strength & Conditioning), Julia Webster (Physiotherapist), Alison White (Team Doctor).
Ten players in the squad have experience playing in the inaugural event – Amy Hunter, Abbi Harrison, Jennifer Jackson, Niamh MacNulty, Kia McCartney, Ellie McGee, Julie McNally, Freya Sargent, Annabel Squires and Aimee Maguire. Hunter, Sargent and Maguire also recently featured in Ireland Senior Women’s remarkable 3-0 T20I series win away in Bangladesh, while Alice Tector played for the senior side in their historic ODI wins against England and Sri Lanka during the home summer.
The Irish squad will travel to Dubai for a preparation camp on 3 January where they will play friendly fixtures against UAE and Scotland, before arriving in Malaysia on 11 January. They will play two official warm-up matches against South Africa U19s Women and Malaysia U19s Women prior to competitive action (additional information on the tournament with full playing schedule and squads).
UNDER-19s WORLD CUP FIXTURES (Group B)
- 18 January 2025: Ireland U19s Women v England U19s Women (10.30am) – Johor Cricket Academy Ground
- 20 January 2025: Ireland U19s Women v USA U19s Women (10.30am) – Johor Cricket Academy Ground
- 22 January 2025: Ireland U19s Women v Pakistan U19s Women (10.30am) – Johor Cricket Academy Ground
*time local to ground
Glenn Querl, Head Coach of Ireland Under-19s Women, said:
“The opportunity to compete in the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Malaysia is incredibly exciting for our players. It marks a significant milestone in their cricketing journey. Some players were part of the inaugural tournament in 2023. This is invaluable, as they will be able to fall back on their experience and support the younger players through the journey. Throughout our preparations, this group has demonstrated exceptional talent, dedication, and resilience. While results in our recent tour of South Africa may not have gone our way, the valuable lessons learned during that tour have been instrumental in our development. Each match has provided insights that will undoubtedly strengthen our team dynamics and enhance our performance. We firmly believe that these experiences have united us as a team and will propel us to new heights as we gear up for the tournament in Malaysia. The potential within this group is immense, and we are eager to showcase our growth on the global stage.”
National Talent Pathway Manager, Albert van der Merwe, added:
“It is a great opportunity for our players to participate in a global event. These tournaments and tours will give the players a great insight on what professional sport is about. They will not only get to play against some of the best players around the world, but also experience different cultures and playing conditions that will hopefully make them more rounded sportswomen. I wish Glenn [Querl] and his team the very best. They have trained incredibly hard as a squad over the last year, and we will be watching on with keen interest in January.”