Cricket Ireland, under the leadership of Andrew Balbirnie, will face New Zealand in a single Test match at Stormont, Belfast, from May 27 to 30. Balbirnie will captain the team for the 10th time in the longer format. The squad will be without Paul Stirling, Barry McCarthy, Josh Little, Gavin Hoey, and Jordan Neill due to various injuries.
McCarthy is out until 2027 due to an ACL tear, while Neill is recovering from a shoulder muscle injury. Campher is still not bowling, and if selected, Jake Egan, Tom Mayes, Liam McCarthy, and Reuben Wilson could make their Test debuts. This match will mark Ireland’s 13th Test and their first against New Zealand. Ireland has won three Tests so far, with Balbirnie being the only player to feature in all 12 Irish Tests.
Following the Test against New Zealand, Ireland will host India for two T20Is on June 26 and 28. Subsequently, they will welcome Afghanistan for five ODIs from August 5-14 in Bready and Stormont, Belfast. Ireland’s upcoming plans include a white-ball series in Nepal under a strategic partnership and a warm-weather training camp in the UAE with a white-ball series against the hosts. Additionally, Irish players will participate in the ILT20 as part of an agreement with the Emirates Cricket Board.
In January 2027, Ireland is scheduled to tour Pakistan for a multi-format series, with the potential addition of a third member nation to the programme. This will be followed by a multi-format series against Afghanistan in the UAE. The Ireland squad for the upcoming matches includes players like Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Cade Carmichael, and others.
