New Delhi: Cricket Ireland is in discussions with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding a possibility of hosting the Indian men’s team for a limited-over series in 2026. India’s calendar in the remaining part of the 2025 and the 2026 is packed as they are set to play England from July 1-19 next.
With five T20I matches and three ODI games already lined up in the next against England, it will be tough for the BCCI to arrange a cricketing series with Ireland but the Irish board seems to be hopeful of hosting India in 2026.
As per a report in ESPNcricinfo, Cricket Ireland is hoping to arrange a short series against India just before that. If it materialises, it would be India’s fourth visit to Ireland after tours in 2018, 2022 and 2023 all of which attracted big crowds in Malahide. Ireland are currently playing a T20I series England though the second game was washed out by rain. England had won the first game by wickets.
Last match against England on Sunday
The third and last match of the series would be played on Sunday, September 21 at the same venue. Ahead of the series, Ireland captain Paul Stirling had said his team felt ‘underprepared’ because of too few matches. After the second match ended in a washout, Cricket Ireland chairman Brian MacNeice said that he had a meeting with the players to address the concerns.
‘I opened the meeting by saying, as far as I’m concerned, the quantum of cricket that we’re playing in ’25 isn’t good enough to prepare you guys to play international cricket and to be competitive at ICC tournaments,’ MacNeice said.