Ireland cancels home series against Afghanistan for ‘financial concerns’.

Dublin (Web Desk) – Ireland has canceled plans to host a multi-format series against Afghanistan this year for “financial reasons” amid a hectic summer calendar that includes historic trips by England’s T20I team and Zimbabwe Women.

Cricket Ireland announced their international schedules on Tuesday, which include Women’s 50-over World Cup Qualifying matches against Pakistan, the West Indies, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Scotland from April 9 to 18.

It also mentioned warm-up games for Ireland Women against the West Indies and Bangladesh in Pakistan on April 5 and 7, respectively, ahead of their effort to return to the event for the first time since 2005, but the ICC has yet to announce the dates and sites for the Qualifiers.

According to the Men’s Future Tours Program (FTP), Ireland was scheduled to play a Test against Afghanistan, three ODIs, and three T20Is. However, all seven matches have been canceled, and while this follows Australia and England’s decision not to play bilateral series against Afghanistan, Warren Deutrom, Cricket Ireland’s chief executive, said it was for economical rather than political grounds. Earlier this week, Human Rights Watch urged for Afghanistan’s ICC membership to be terminated due to human rights violations.

“One planned series that won’t go ahead for financial reasons is against Afghanistan,” Deutrom informed us. “This decision is part of our management of short-term budgetary constraints, as well as our requirement to comply with the Board’s mandate to deliver balanced investment across the organisation’s strategic objectives.”

Ireland has only hosted two of the ten Tests it has played since becoming Full Members of the International Cricket Council in 2017. They won their first Test under the format against Afghanistan in the UAE in 2024, followed by two more wins over Zimbabwe at home last year and away last month.

Ireland hosted a “home” white-ball series against South Africa in Abu Dhabi last year in an effort to overcome what Deutrom called at the time as “current infrastructure constraints” due to the absence of a permanent home stadium and the expensive expense of temporary facilities.

Last August, the Irish government authorized the construction of a permanent international cricket stadium and high-performance center in Dublin. The first phase, which includes a primary cricket oval, permanent seating for 4,000 people, and a high performance facility, is scheduled to be completed in 2028, with the goal of preparing Ireland to co-host the 2030 T20 World Cup with England and Scotland.

“Off the field, recent Programme for Government announcements will enable us to continue our planning for the new Dublin stadium and for the 2030 T20 World Cup, while we’re looking forward to announcing infrastructure and facilities investments across Ireland as part of our expanded Club Fund,” Deutrom told journalists.

Ireland Wolves will play Afghanistan A in four-day and one-day matches in Abu Dhabi next month as part of a trip that includes a white-ball tri-series with Sri Lanka A.

Ireland Men will also compete in the European T20 Premier League, against Scotland and the Netherlands, beginning in mid July.

Zimbabwean women will visit Ireland in July for their first trip since being added to the Women’s FTP for 2025-29. They’ll play three T20Is, followed by two ODIs.

Pakistan Women will then go to Ireland in August for three T20s prior to the T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier in the Netherlands, where Ireland Women will compete.