Photo Credit: Sportsfile
The ‘Season of Stars’ continues to get bigger with the confirmation of the five-match men’s T20 International series against Afghanistan for August.
Following the recent announcement regarding Ireland Men’s home season (see story), the senior side will now line up for a T20I series against long-term rivals Afghanistan, to be played at Stormont. The series is set to be a key part of Ireland Men’s build-up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in October.
This series also represents the first T20Is that Afghanistan has played in Belfast.
Afghanistan Men’s last visit to Ireland was May 2019, although the sides last played a T20I series in March 2020 (Afghanistan 2-1) in Greater Noida, India. Currently the eighth-ranked side in the world in T20I cricket, Afghanistan have have the upper-hand over Ireland in T20I cricket, having won 14 of the 19 times the two sides have met in this format.
Richard Holdsworth, High Performance Director for Cricket Ireland, said:
“It’s a great rivalry that has developed over the years between Ireland and Afghanistan, and we warmly welcome the Afghan Men’s team here once again. With the context of both sides looking to bolster their T20I exposure in the lead-up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in October, it was agreed by the Cricket Ireland Board that the previously scheduled Test match and ODI series would be rescheduled to a later date – with both sides looking to maximise our T20I cricket instead.
Photo Credit: LinkedIn profile photo of Richard Holdsworth
“Our thanks to the Afghanistan Cricket Board for their support in getting this series approved.”
Ireland v Afghanistan men’s T20I series
• 9 August: Ireland v Afghanistan, 1st T20I (Stormont)
• 11 August: Ireland v Afghanistan, 2nd T20I (Stormont)
• 12 August: Ireland v Afghanistan, 3rd T20I (Stormont)
• 15 August: Ireland v Afghanistan, 4th T20I (Stormont)
• 17 August: Ireland v Afghanistan, 5th T20I (Stormont)
Other fixtures in Ireland Men’s international schedule
Ireland Men v India Men T20I series
• Sunday 26 June: Ireland v India, 1st T20I (Malahide) *
• Tuesday 28 June: Ireland v India, 2nd T20I (Malahide) *
* Subject to licence
Ireland Men v New Zealand Men series
• Sunday 10 July: Ireland v New Zealand, 1st ODI (Malahide)
• Tuesday 12 July: Ireland v New Zealand, 2nd ODI (Malahide)
• Friday 15 July: Ireland v New Zealand, 3rd ODI (Malahide)
• Monday 18 July: Ireland v New Zealand, 1st T20I (Stormont)
• Wednesday 20 July: Ireland v New Zealand, 2nd T20I (Stormont)
• Friday 22 July: Ireland v New Zealand, 3rd T20I (Stormont)
Ireland Men v South Africa Men T20I series
• Wednesday 3 August: Ireland v South Africa, 1st T20I (Bristol)
• Friday 5 August: Ireland v South Africa, 2nd T20I (Bristol)
Tickets and Membership Packages
Tickets and membership packages will go on sale in April.
Name of Author: Cricket Ireland
Cricket Ireland, officially known as The Irish Cricket Union Company Limited by Guarantee, is the governing body for cricket on the island of Ireland. It oversees the national men’s and women’s teams and organizes the Inter-Provincial Series, Super 3s, and All-Ireland club competitions. Ireland achieved Test status for women in 2000 and for men in 2017 when it became a Full Member of the ICC.
