Ireland have retained the same 14-member squad for the upcoming three-match home T20I series against New Zealand, which played India in the recently-concluded two-match assignment.Ireland gave an impressive performance against India, the No.1-ranked men's T20I team in the world, by taking them the distance in the second T201 despite losing the series 0-2.
Both newcomers Conor Olphert and Stephen Doheny have retained their spots. While Olphert made his international debut against India, uncapped Doheny could well be in line to get an opportunity in the upcoming assignment.
"The selectors are backing the players that performed well against India the high standards we sought were delivered upon, and we hope the squad can put in similar performances against New Zealand," said Andrew White, Ireland's chair of national men's selectors.
"The second T20I against India was a superb spectacle for the fans, but I know the coaching staff and players were gutted not to get across the line," he was quoted as saying by ICC."The players should take great confidence from the past week, and we hope that this can lead to a greater consistency in performances.
It would be fantastic to see the sporting public young and not-so-young come out in their numbers and support the team at Stormont."The three-match T20I series will be preceded by three ODIs, for which Ireland have already announced their squad.
T20I squad: Andrew Balbirnie (c), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Josh Little, Andrew McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Conor Olphert, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Craig Young.
ODI squad: Andrew Balbirnie (c), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Graham Hume, Josh Little, Andrew McBrine, Simi Singh, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Craig Young.
Fixtures:
July 10: 1st ODI; July 12: 2nd ODI; July 15: 3rd ODI; July 18: 1st T20I; July 20: 2nd T20I; July 22: 3rd T20I