Due to infrastructure limitations faced by Cricket Ireland, the upcoming white-ball series against South Africa will be hosted in Abu Dhabi instead of Ireland. The absence of a permanent home ground has led to the high costs associated with setting up temporary infrastructure, resulting in financial and logistical obstacles.
This decision comes after the last six men’s Tests played by Ireland were held overseas due to similar limitations. Furthermore, Australia and Ireland were set to lock horns in their first-ever bilateral series set to be played in Ireland. However, given the financial constraints, the series is cancelled.
Notably, Ireland, which attained Full Member status in 2017, is set to host a men’s Test match at home for only the second time in history. The match against Zimbabwe in July will take place at Stormont, marking a significant milestone for Irish cricket.
In an attempt to balance competitive cricket across formats while addressing infrastructure constraints, Cricket Ireland has advocated for a proposed permanent stadium to the Government. They are also exploring ways to increase capacity in the short term and reviewing hosting arrangements, including the possibility of playing home matches in neutral venues.
As a result of these challenges, South Africa’s tour to Ireland has been revised to include two ODIs and three T20Is in Abu Dhabi from late September.
Out of Ireland’s 20 home men’s internationals, only four will be held in Ireland, further emphasizing the need for long-term solutions to their hosting challenges. Despite these setbacks, Ireland remains committed to optimizing hosting arrangements for cricket in the country and continues to explore avenues to overcome their infrastructure limitations.
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