Ireland has announced the cancellation of its planned multi-format cricket series against Afghanistan, citing “financial reasons” amidst a crowded summer schedule. This decision comes as Cricket Ireland prepares for a busy calendar that features historic tours from the England Men’s T20I side and the Zimbabwe Women’s team.
Earlier this week, Cricket Ireland unveiled its international fixtures, which include important Women’s 50-over World Cup Qualifying matches against teams like Pakistan, West Indies, and Bangladesh scheduled from April 9 to 18. To prepare for these qualifiers, Irish Women’s Team will also engage in warm-up matches in Pakistan against West Indies and Bangladesh.
In addition to the women’s fixtures, the Ireland Men’s team will host the West Indies for a series of ODIs and T20Is stretching from May to June. The highlight of Ireland’s cricketing summer will be the England Men’s inaugural T20I series in Ireland, set for September, featuring three matches.
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According to the Men’s Future Tours Program (FTP), the scrapped series against Afghanistan included a Test and six limited-overs matches. This cancellation mirrors similar decisions made by Australia and England to avoid bilateral series against Afghanistan, primarily due to human rights concerns.
However, Cricket Ireland’s CEO Warren Deutrom stresses that economic constraints, rather than political issues, drive this decision.
“We are currently managing short-term budgetary constraints and must ensure balanced investment across our strategic objectives,” Deutrom explained. While human rights organizations call for Afghanistan’s ICC membership to be reevaluated due to reported abuses, Ireland is focusing on sustainable growth in its cricketing infrastructure.
Having hosted only two of the ten Tests they’ve played since becoming Full Members of the ICC in 2017, Ireland has struggled with logistical challenges, including the absence of a permanent home stadium. This issue is being addressed; in August, the Irish Government approved plans for a new international cricket stadium in Dublin, aiming for completion by 2028.
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The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) CEO Naseeb Khan confirmed that while the series is off this year due to financial reasons, discussions are already underway for possible rescheduling in 2026. Khan noted that this match-up was significant for player development on both sides.
Despite the setback, Irish Team continues to engage actively in international cricket and remains on track to participate in upcoming tournaments, including the European T20 Premier League and competitions involving Sri Lanka A.