Ireland is all set to host Team India for a three-match T20I series in August. The nation’s cricket governing body has confirmed that the team will also play their final ODI Super League series against Bangladesh at Chelmsford in May. The 50-overs contest has been arranged in a bid to maximise the team’s chance of securing direct qualification in the ICC ODI World Cup scheduled later this year in India.
Notably, considering that other results are stacked in favour of the Green and Whites then Ireland would have to beat Bangladesh by a margin of 3-0 in this series to directly head to India or else they will have to play the qualifier in Zimbabwe in June-July.
Interestingly, Ireland will play the ODI series in Chelmsford as they want to try and win these matches rather than them being washed out due to rain and with Ireland expecting showers at that time of the year, the matches will be played in England.
“We need to play and win the three games to qualify. After in-depth consideration, it was decided that this approach gave us the best chance of securing automatic qualification, particularly given the fact that the matches have to be played before the World Cup Super League cut-off in mid-May,” Warren Deutrom, Cricket Ireland’s chief executive, said in a press release.
👉 BIG FIXTURES INCOMING
Ireland Men will face India, Bangladesh, England and compete for qualification to two world cups this summer.
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— Cricket Ireland (@cricketireland) March 17, 2023
“We need a venue where the weather patterns and playing facilities give us the best chance of mitigating any rain impact. Unfortunately, it is likely too early in the Irish season to prepare pitches to ODI standard unless we have a remarkably dry April. This only underscores our determination to accelerate the development of our permanent venue infrastructure, an objective which remains among my most pressing,” he added.
Meanwhile, their cricket board has stated that the India series will be happening in between August 18-26 in Malahide after which the team will also have to tour England for a three-match ODI tour from September 20 to 26.
