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Dublin, Sep 12 (IANS) In a bold move to reinvigorate their T20I team, Ireland have opted to drop Test captain Andy Balbirnie from their squad for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa, set to take place in Abu Dhabi later this month.
Balbirnie, who has been Ireland’s second-highest run-scorer in T20Is, has had a challenging year. His average of 24.83 from 12 innings and a strike rate of just 113.74 have been below his usual standards. His recent absence from Leinster Lightning's T20 match, with Lorcan Tucker stepping in as an opener, hints at Tucker potentially replacing Balbirnie as Paul Stirling's partner at the top of the order.
Andrew White, Ireland’s national selector, explained the rationale behind this decision: “One area we will explore on this tour is the top order in our T20 squad. We'll be looking at introducing a new dynamic, with Andrew Balbirnie sitting out the T20Is on this occasion. There are only two T20Is in the upcoming series, but they will offer important opportunities as we try to increase our levels of performance again.”
Despite his exclusion from the T20I squad, Balbirnie remains integral to Ireland's plans for the future, being named in the squad for the subsequent three-match ODI series. White reassured fans, “Andrew remains very much central to our thoughts and will open the batting in the ODIs.”
The T20I series will see Ireland without the services of Josh Little, who is competing in the Caribbean Premier League with the Trinbago Knight Riders. Little and Balbirnie are the notable absentees from Ireland’s T20 World Cup squad, with left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys being introduced.
Ireland’s disappointing performance in the World Cup, where they were eliminated in the group stage after losing all three of their completed matches and having one washed out, has led to this significant squad overhaul.
On the horizon, Ireland is eyeing the 2026 and 2027 World Cups as pivotal moments for their white-ball cricket. “2026 and 2027 are pivotal years for our white-ball squads,” White stated. “Given their timeframes, it means we are looking at this upcoming series against South Africa as the start of a new cycle. We need to deepen our pool of international cricketers, and for the likes of Gavin Hoey, he will come into the international arena with greater confidence following his involvement in such fixtures.
The volume of international fixtures leading into 2027 is exciting and there will be opportunities for players to make their mark.”
In a unique twist, Ireland's games against South Africa will be held in Abu Dhabi due to “infrastructure constraints” back home. The hope is that the development of a new national stadium will soon alleviate these issues. South Africa, for their part, have announced their squads for the series, opting to rest many of their first-choice players, potentially giving Ireland a chance to test their new strategies against a slightly altered South African side.
Ireland T20I squad vs South Africa: Paul Stirling (captain), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Fionn Hand, Matthew Humphreys, Graham Hume, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young.
Ireland ODI squad vs South Africa: Paul Stirling (captain), Mark Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Gavin Hoey, Fionn Hand, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Andy McBrine, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Craig Young.
Fixtures: September 27 and 29 - T20Is; October 2, 4 and 7 - ODIs (all Abu Dhabi)
--IANS
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