Ireland draft in Hand, Delany in 15-member squad for T20I series against India

Ireland on Friday picked all-rounder Fionn Hand and Gareth Delany in their 15-member squad to face No 1 T20I team India in a three-match series to be played later this month.

After the conclusion of their West Indies tour, India will travel to Ireland for the short series. They are currently playing against Windies in a five-match T20I series.

The three T20Is between India and Ireland will be played on August 18, 20 and 23 at Malahide. Paul
Stirling will be the captain of Ireland.

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Team India take on Ireland in a three-match T20I series from August 18, 2023 

“While the majority of the squad reflects the playing group that successfully qualified for the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup last week, the selectors have recalled Leinster Lightning all-rounder Fionn Hand and have included Gareth Delany who is returning from injury after breaking his wrist in Zimbabwe in June,” Cricket Ireland said in a statement on its website.

“The upcoming series is the first T20 action for the national side since securing the T20 World Cup qualification and is being treated accordingly as part of the strategic planning for that tournament scheduled for June 2024,” it added.

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Ireland national selector Andrew White said, “We currently have around 15 T20 Internationals scheduled between now and the World Cup, so it is important that we use each of these to continue to build on areas that the coaching team has identified.

“Giving opportunities to players also filters down the series themselves, so I would expect that all of the 15 players named in the India series squad will feature at some point,” White added.

Ireland squad: Paul Stirling (captain), Andrew Balbirnie, Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Fionn Hand, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Theo van Woerkom, Ben White, Craig Young.