ICC T20 World Cup 2021: Ireland Announce Their Final 15-Man Squad For The Tournament
Updated - 08 Oct 2021, 09:17 PM
Shane Getkate, Graham Kennedy and Barry McCarthy are the three players who have been omitted from Ireland’s 15-man T20 World Cup squad, announced on Friday. The team will be led by Andrew Balbirnie and Graham Ford is the head coach.
The trio is part of an 18-man squad currently in Dubai, where they are involved in a 3-match T20I series with UAE. All three of them are now named as travelling reserves.
About the selected squad, Andrew White, the chairman of Ireland’s men’s selection committee, said:
“It was always going to be a very difficult decision to reduce the squad from 18 to 15 – every player out in Dubai at the moment has proven their talent and deserved their chance. The three players who have missed out will still have a role to play in supporting the core squad, and stay on within the team bubble as cover in case of injury or illness.
“Part of the selectors decision-making was around the conditions in both Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, but we also factored in [Head Coach] Graham Ford’s on-the-ground assessment of what he believes to be our most effective combination of players to win games of cricket.”
The series against UAE is currently tied at 1-1. Ireland won the first match by 7 wickets while the hosts won the second by 54 runs. The third T20I is scheduled for Sunday.
“We are confident that the squad of players selected have the ability and the determination to take us into the next round of the tournament, but ultimately it will be about putting together performances that are deserving of it. We wish Fordy and the lads all the best for the challenge ahead, and we’re sure they will do Irish cricket proud,” White added.
Ireland will play two World Cup warm-up matches from October 12. They will start their T20 World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on October 18 in Round 1 before taking on Sri Lanka and Namibia on October 20 and 22 respectively. The top-two sides from the group will qualify for the Super 12 stage.
Ireland T20 World Cup squad:
Andrew Balbirnie (c), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Josh Little, Andrew McBrine, Kevin O’Brien, Neil Rock, Simi Singh, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young.
Travelling Reserves: Shane Getkate, Graham Kennedy, Barry McCarthy.
Also Read: Sohaib Maqsood’s Spot In Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2021 Squad Uncertain After Injury Scare
