The 2022 ICC T20 World Cup is set to be played in Australia from 16 October, with 16 teams participating in this edition of the marquee event. One of the regulars who managed to make it yet again is the minnows Ireland, who has played in almost every ICC tournament in the last decade. And they are a team who can beat a top side on their day.
This includes beating their neighbour England. A team, which started with Irish soldiers as their players, got the Test Nation status ie Test cricket playing country from ICC quite recently. Here, we take a look at the interesting history of Ireland cricket:-
History of Ireland Cricket Team
Cricket was introduced to Ireland in the 19th century, and the first match played by an Ireland team was in 1855. The first Irish national team played in 1855 against The Gentlemen of England in Dublin and then the side toured Canada and the United States in the late 19th century, and occasionally hosted matches against touring sides.
But once the fight against colonialism began, the land war in the 1880s resulting from the Irish Land Commission and implemented a ban on playing 'foreign' games by the Gaelic Athletic Association set back the spread of cricket. The ban was lifted in 1970, and before then anyone playing foreign games, such as cricket was banned from the Irish games such as hurling and Gaelic football.
Their first match with first-class status was played on 19 May 1902 against a London County side including W.G. Grace. The Irish, captained by Sir Tim O'Brien, won convincingly by 238 runs.
Rise of the minnows and Associate membership
The Irish played yearly first-class matches with the Scots until 1999, but all their other cricket depended upon touring international sides finding it convenient to include a visit to Ireland in their schedules. However, they were a team to reckon with. In 1969, the team defeated a West Indian side including Clive Lloyd and Clyde Walcott by nine wickets, after bowling them out for 25. This was the last time Ireland defeated a touring side until 2003 when they beat Zimbabwe by ten wickets.
Ireland was elected to Associate membership of the ICC in 1993 but played their first full ODI in 2006 against England in the build-up to the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup, their first successful qualification. At that tournament, a series of eye-catching results against full Members, including a draw against Zimbabwe, and wins against Pakistan and Bangladesh confirmed Ireland's ODI status after the competition.
Further successes in the shortest format meant the Ireland team also qualified for the 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2021 T20 World Cup. Ireland also secured their spot in the 2022 T20 World Cup with a victory over Oman in a qualifying match on 22nd February 2022.
Ireland Cricket Team of Current team
Skipper Andrew Balbirnie will lead a strong Ireland squad at the World Cup. Opener Paul Stirling, alongside all-rounders George Dockrell and Balbirnie provide the experience in the 15-member squad, while star batter Harry Tector and consistent pacer Mark Adair put the polish on a well-balanced outfit.
There will be no veteran batter Kevin O'Brien, who was omitted from the squad that competed in the Qualifier, before announcing his retirement from all forms of international cricket last month.
Ireland in 2022 T20 World Cup squad
Andrew Balbirnie (c), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Fionn Hand, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Conor Olphert, Simi Singh, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Craig Young.
