Photo Credit: Oliver McVeigh
Cricket Ireland has today named a 15-player Ireland Women’s squad that will travel to South Africa at the end of January to compete in the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa.
The tournament represents Ireland Women’s return to World Cup involvement after last appearing in the 2018 Women’s T20 World Cup.
The 2023 edition will be held from 10-26 February 2023, with Ireland’s blockbuster first game against England set for 13 February.
The tournament will feature two Groups of five teams each in the first round playing a round robin format, with the top two sides from each Group progressing to the semi-finals stage. Ireland’s Group features: Ireland, England, India, Pakistan and West Indies.
The squad will depart Dublin on 27 January and undertake a preparation camp in Cape Town from 28 January to 2 February – during this time they will play two warm-up matches against Bangladesh. The squad will then move on to Stellenbosch to play two official warm-up games against Sri Lanka and Australia, before their first competitive match on 13 February.
THE SQUAD
The Ireland Women’s squad is:
Laura Delany (captain), Georgina Dempsey, Amy Hunter, Shauna Kavanagh, Arlene Kelly, Gaby Lewis, Louise Little, Sophie MacMahon, Jane Maguire, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast, Eimear Richardson, Rebecca Stokell, Mary Waldron.
The coaching and support staff travelling are:
• Head Coach: Ed Joyce
• Assistant Coach: Glenn Querl
• Spin Bowling Coach: Nathan Hauritz
• Team Operations Manager: Beth Healy
• Physiotherapist: Catherine Simpson
• Strength & Conditioning Coach: Greg Hollins
• Performance Analyst: Jay Shelat
• Media Manager: Craig Easdown
• Team Doctor: Dr Dhavina Naidoo
• Performance Psychologist: Anne Marie Kennedy
Carrie Archer, National Selector, said:
“It was incredibly rewarding and encouraging to see our squad progress so far both on and off the field in 2022, recording a number of breakthrough results as a team and as individuals. While there were numerous highlights, the most gratifying of all was the successful T20 World Cup qualifying campaign. We haven’t featured in a global tournament since 2018. While we came heartbreakingly close at the 2019 qualifier, we ultimately fell short, so this year’s qualification felt like redemption and reward for the hard work the players, coaches and support staff have put in.
“The squad’s average age is only 24, with most players aged between 17 and 23. This age profile is an exciting aspect for Irish cricket as this group will hopefully be together for a good few years to come, and will only get better over time.“Laura [Delany] – already Ireland’s longest-serving captain – will lead the side again, while we welcome Georgina Dempsey back into the squad after she missed the recent Pakistan tour due to educational commitments.”
Richard Holdsworth, High Performance Director, said:
“Ed [Joyce], Glenn [Querl] as assistant coach, and all of the support staff have helped mould a squad that has increasing confidence in its ability to consistently perform and succeed and a determined belief that they belong at global tournaments like this.
“The squad will undoubtedly benefit from the week-long prep camp in Cape Town, which will help them acclimatise to conditions ahead of the official programme and we thank Bangladesh for agreeing to play two warm-ups during that period.
“Participating in a World Cup is always an exciting experience for athletes, and to see another Irish women’s sporting side playing on the global stage we hope may help inspire a new generation to take up the sport.”
IRELAND WOMEN’S FIXTURE SCHEDULE
Warm-ups (prep camp)
• 31 January: Ireland Women v Bangladesh Women (Cape Town)
• 2 February: Ireland Women v Bangladesh Women (Cape Town)
Warm-ups (official)
• 5 February: Ireland Women v Sri Lanka Women (Stellenbosch)
• 8 February: Ireland Women v Australia Women (Stellenbosch)
T20 World Cup (Group Stage)
• 13 February: Ireland Women v England Women (Paarl)
• 15 February: Ireland Women v Pakistan Women (Cape Town)
• 17 February: Ireland Women v West Indies Women (Cape Town)
• 20 February: Ireland Women v India Women (Port Elizabeth)
See the full tournament fixture list here.
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.
