Magheramason, Aug 4 (IANS) Just one week into his appointment as head coach of Ireland, Gary Wilson has made it clear what his ambitions are, namely securing qualification for the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
The player who previously served as Ireland’s wicketkeeper-batter and took over as head coach from Heinrich Malan in June hopes that his team will earn a spot in the 14-team tournament which will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Ireland have taken part in the men’s 50-over World Cup on only three occasions, Wilson being present at their two most recent appearances in 2011 and 2015.
This week Ireland’s campaign to qualify gets under way as they take on Afghanistan in a five-match ODI series which starts on Wednesday—this being their first 50-over internationals in over a year.
The series will provide important preparation for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier, in which the four teams who finish at the top of the 10-team tournament will secure their places in the 2027 World Cup.
Wilson stated that the whole arrangement is designed with that objective in mind.
“We’re laser-focused on 50-over cricket right now for that reason,” Wilson told BBC Sport. “I’ve been lucky enough to be part of two and they are amazing experiences.”
The 39-year-old looked back on Ireland’s progress over the past 20 years, citing several landmark achievements, before challenging his players to write new chapters in that journey.
“Irish cricket is really in its infancy in many ways and there’s been a lot of firsts within the last 20 years,” he said. “We’ve had Ed Joyce as the first player to play for England, we’ve had the first World Cup in 2007, we’ve had the first Test win, why can’t we go on and do something huge at a World Cup? If you’d said 30 or 40 years ago where the Irish rugby team would be now, you’d have got laughed at.
“Whether it’s in our lifetime or not, one day we will do something amazing. A challenge I’ve put to this group is to create their own firsts. I think if we just stay focused, there’s something big very close.”
With a crucial ODI cycle now underway, Wilson hopes Ireland can translate that belief into results and earn another shot on cricket’s biggest stage in 2027.
–IANS
hs/bc
