Ireland has officially named a 14-member squad for the first three ODIs of their five-match series against Afghanistan, which is scheduled to commence on August 5. The squad features the return of captain Paul Stirling, who was sidelined during the recent T20I series against India due to injury.
The selection includes Jai Moondra, who recently gained recognition as the standout performer in Ireland's historic T20I series victory over the world champions. Moondra joins Ben Calitz as one of two players in the squad who have earned T20I caps but are yet to make their debut in the ODI format. Additionally, 24-year-old medium-pacer Byron McDonough has earned his maiden call-up to the national side. McDonough, who played a key role in Leinster Lightning’s recent Inter-Provincial Limited Overs Cup victory, has claimed 15 wickets at an average of 29.33 in his nine List A appearances to date.
Andrew White, the national selector for Cricket Ireland, expressed enthusiasm regarding the new additions. He noted that Moondra and McDonough bring distinct attributes to the team, while Gavin Hoey is expected to provide a genuine wicket-taking threat through the middle overs with his ability to spin the ball both ways. White also highlighted the inclusion of Ben Calitz, whose dynamic and powerful batting style is expected to offer valuable options in the middle to lower order.
The team will be under the guidance of newly appointed head coach Gary Wilson, marking his first assignment since taking over the role from Heinrich Malan. Furthermore, Jonathan Trott will serve in a consultancy capacity, providing support to the Irish squad for the first two games of the series against the team he previously coached. The series will see the first two matches held in Bready, with the remaining three fixtures scheduled for Stormont.
The squad is currently dealing with several absences, as Josh Little, Matt Hollard, Craig Young, Barry McCarthy, Jordan Neill, and David Delany remain unavailable due to injury or return-to-play protocols. Cricket Ireland stated that the squad for the final two ODIs will be determined following a fitness assessment of the players.
The Ireland squad for the first three matches consists of: Paul Stirling (c), Mark Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Ben Calitz, Curtis Campher, Cade Carmichael, George Dockrell, Gavin Hoey, Andrew McBrine, Liam McCarthy, Byron McDonough, Jai Moondra, Harry Tector, and Lorcan Tucker.
