Team India will tour Ireland for a three-match T20I series later in the year, Cricket Ireland confirmed on June 27 (Tuesday). The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the complete schedule which revealed that all three matches will be staged at Malahide. The first game of the series is slated to be played on August 18 while the third and last T20I is scheduled for August 23. The Men in Blue are likely to arrive in Ireland straight after the completion of their series against the West Indies.
"We’re delighted to welcome India Men back to Ireland for the second time in 12 months," Warren Deutrom, Chief Executive of Cricket Ireland said in a statement.
"We saw two sold-out matches in 2022, so to have a three-match series this year should give even more fans the opportunity to enjoy what is always a memorable occasion.
"Our sincere thanks to the BCCI, first, for their continued inclusion of Ireland in the Indian team’s busy itinerary and also for working with us to ensure as fan-friendly a schedule a possible – having matches on a Friday and Sunday will hopefully maximise availability of fans," the statement added.
The Men in Blue played two-match T20I series against Ireland last year and the Men in Green gave a good account of themselves against a strong Men in Blue outfit that was led by Hardik Pandya. In the end, India did win both matches and claimed the trophy.
Ireland vs India T20I series schedule:
August 18: 1st T20I, Malahide
August 20: 2nd T20I, Malahide
August 23: 3rd T20I, Malahide
The scheduling of a T20I series comes at a time when India is set to host the ODI World Cup later in the year. Hence, the Ireland tour would be of lesser significance. The Men in Blue's squad might consist of some fresh faces as senior players will likely be rested.
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