Team India will take on Ireland in a three-match T20 series scheduled to be played in August this year, Cricket Ireland said in a statement on Friday. The series will be played at Malahide, the same venue where Hardik Pandya -led the men in blue for a two-match series last year.
However, with the ODI World Cup in sight, it is not known whether Hardik will play in the upcoming series. The three-match series is scheduled to be played from August 18 to 23.
"Irish cricket fans will be able to enjoy watching the world's number one T20 International side, India, when the Asian juggernauts return to Malahide for a three-match T20I series this August," Cricket Ireland said in its statement.
India and Ireland faced each other in the two-match T20I series in 2022. While the men in blue won the series 2-0, Ireland were unlucky not to record at least one win.
"The return of the world’s top-ranked T20I side for a second consecutive year represents a vote of confidence in the talent and competitiveness of the current Irish side," Ireland Cricket stated in the media release.
Ireland Men will also face Bangladesh in a three-match one-day international series that may result in the ODI World Cup qualification. While Bangladesh have already qualified for the marquee event, Ireland will automatically get qualified if they register a 3-0 series. However, if the men in green fail to do so then they will lock horns with Zimbabwe in June for the World Cup Qualifier.
Warren Deutrom, Chief Executive of Cricket Ireland, said:
“Summer 2023 will be a feast of men’s cricket but will look very different from normal for fans. We can today confirm India visiting Ireland for a second consecutive year and confirm the World Cup Super League series against Bangladesh will proceed in early May. This is on top of the already announced Test match at Lord’s in June and the three-match ODI series in September against England.
“Making our summer slightly unusual is that we have not been able to look at organising any bilateral cricket between mid-June and mid-July given the potential of our participation in the 50-over Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier. It won’t be until after the Bangladesh series that we will learn whether we are heading to the Qualifier in Zimbabwe."
