Ireland calls off home series with Afghanistan due to financial

Ireland calls off home series with Afghanistan due to financial constraints.

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Ireland has canceled plans for a multi-format series against Afghanistan this year due to financial constraints amidst a busy summer schedule, which includes historic tours by England Men’s T20I and Zimbabwe Women. Cricket Ireland announced international fixtures featuring Women’s World Cup Qualifiers against Pakistan, West Indies, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Scotland, alongside warm-up games. While Ireland Men will host West Indies and England’s T20I series, seven matches against Afghanistan—including a Test, ODIs, and T20Is—were removed for budgetary reasons, according to Cricket Ireland CEO Warren Deutrom. Future developments include a permanent stadium in Dublin, set to be completed by 2028.

Ireland has decided to cancel plans for a multi-format series against Afghanistan this year due to “financial reasons,” citing a packed summer schedule that features historic tours from England Men’s T20I team and Zimbabwe Women.

On Tuesday, Cricket Ireland announced their international fixtures, which will include Women’s 50-over World Cup Qualifying matches against Pakistan, West Indies, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Scotland from April 9-18.

Additionally, warm-up games for Ireland Women are scheduled against West Indies and Bangladesh in Pakistan on April 5 and 7, respectively, as they aim to qualify for the tournament for the first time since 2005, although the ICC has yet to confirm the dates and venues for the Qualifiers.

Ireland Men will face West Indies in ODI and T20I series in May and June, while England Men are set to play their first T20I series in Ireland in September, consisting of three matches.

According to the Men’s Future Tours Program (FTP), Ireland was scheduled to play a Test against Afghanistan along with three ODIs and three T20Is. However, all seven matches have been canceled. This follows the precedent set by Australia and England regarding bilateral series with Afghanistan. Warren Deutrom, the chief executive of Cricket Ireland, emphasized that the decision was made for financial rather than political reasons. Recently, Human Rights Watch had called for the suspension of Afghanistan’s ICC membership due to human rights violations.

“One planned series that won’t take place due to financial constraints is against Afghanistan,” Deutrom remarked. “This decision is part of our strategy to manage short-term budget constraints and to ensure we meet the Board’s requirements for balanced investment across our strategic goals.”

Since becoming Full Members of the ICC in 2017, Ireland has hosted only two out of the ten Tests they have played. They recorded their first victory in the format against Afghanistan in the UAE in 2024 and subsequently achieved two more Test wins against Zimbabwe, one at home last year and another away last month.

Last year, Ireland conducted a “home” white-ball series against South Africa in Abu Dhabi to mitigate what Deutrom described as “current infrastructure constraints” resulting from not having a permanent home stadium and the high costs associated with temporary setups.

In August, the Irish Government approved the construction of a permanent international cricket stadium and a high-performance center in Dublin. The first phase, which includes a main cricket oval, permanent seating for 4,000 spectators, and the high-performance center, is slated for completion in 2028. This project aims to prepare Ireland to co-host the 2030 T20 World Cup with England and Scotland.

“Off the field, recent announcements from the Programme for Government will allow us to continue planning for the new Dublin stadium and the 2030 T20 World Cup, while we look forward to revealing investments in infrastructure and facilities across Ireland through our expanded Club Fund,” Deutrom stated.

Ireland Wolves are set to face Afghanistan A in four-day and one-day matches in Abu Dhabi next month, as part of a tour that will also include a white-ball tri-series featuring Sri Lanka A.

Additionally, Ireland Men will be participating in the European T20 Premier League along with Scotland and the Netherlands starting mid-July.

Zimbabwe Women are scheduled to tour Ireland in July, marking their first visit since their inclusion in the Women’s FTP for 2025-29. They will play three T20Is followed by two ODIs.

In August, Pakistan Women will also visit Ireland to play three T20s ahead of the T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier in the Netherlands, which Ireland Women are participating in.

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