New Delhi: World champions India will tour Ireland for a T20I series in June ahead of their white-ball assignment in England.
Ireland’s director of high-performance Graham West confirmed the series when he announced Paul Stirling’s decision to step down as their T20I captain.
India, who host Afghanistan for a one-off Test and a three-match ODI series ending on June 20, will travel to England for five T20Is and three ODIs from July 1-19, while the Ireland series will precede the English series.
Graham West said the India series is part of their plans for the upcoming summer.
“With qualification secured for the T20 World Cup in 2028, Paul’s (Stirling) decision to stand down as T20 captain provides the opportunity for the new captain to begin implementing their style and methodology, starting with the India series in June,” West said in a press release.
India have toured Ireland three times in the past seven years (2018, 2022 and 2023), drawing strong crowds at Malahide on the outskirts of Dublin.
“It has been a tremendous honour to lead Ireland in this format and something I have been incredibly proud to do. Captaining your country is a privilege that carries great responsibility, and I’m very grateful for the trust and support I have received during my time in the role,” Stirling said.
He stepped down following a disappointing T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Ireland lost to Sri Lanka and Australia before beating Oman, while their final match against Zimbabwe was abandoned.
Stirling will continue to lead Ireland in ODIs and said he remains “fully committed” to contributing across formats.
“I still have a huge amount of ambition as a player and feel this decision will allow me to fully focus on being the best version of myself and making the strongest possible contribution on the field,” he said.
