Cricket on 9 January 2026 ireland officially announced their 15-man squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026which will be co-hosted India And Sri Lanka Experienced opening batsman starting from 7th February paul sterling The wicketkeeper-batsman has been retained as captain to lead the ‘Men in Green’ in their ninth appearance in the marquee event. lorcan tucker Named as his deputy.
The selection shows a clear commitment to stability, as 12 of the 15 players for the 2024 campaign have retained their places. national selector Andrew White Expressing strong optimism the team is looking forward to improving on its 2024 performance and entering the highly competitive Group B, which includes hosts Sri Lanka and powerhouses Sri Lanka. AustraliaWith ‘no fear’.
Experience comes from youth: New faces in Ireland’s 15-member team
While the core of the squad is settled, the 2026 squad includes three exciting new players who have earned their first World Cup call-ups through consistent domestic form. tim tector22 year old brother of star batsman harry tectorJoined the ranks as a versatile top-order option and off-spinner. A 23 year old youth is also included with them ben calitzleft-handed middle-order specialist, and Matthew HumphreysA clever left arm spinner.
Selector Andrew White said that these players ‘add another dynamic flair to the playing group’ as the team looks to balance experienced savvy with youthful energy. In particular, fit once again Ross Adair Returned to the team after recovering from a knee injury, although there was no place for the former captain Andrew Balbirnie In the final list.
Group B roadmap: Ireland’s high-risk schedule in Sri Lanka
ireland is placed group bArguably, one of the most challenging pools of the tournament Australia, Sri Lanka, Oman And zimbabweAll of Ireland’s group-stage matches will be in Sri Lanka, starting with the high-voltage opener against the hosts in Colombo on February 8,
After the opener, the Irish will face a strong Australian team on February 11, followed by crucial fixtures against Oman and Zimbabwe that will likely determine their Super 8 fate. To prepare for the subcontinent conditions, the team is scheduled to travel to Dubai on January 15 for a series of warm-up T20 matches against Dubai. Italy and this united arab emiratesEnsuring that they are ‘match-ready’ thanks to the unique spin-friendly tracks of the Premadasa and Kandy stadiums.
Ireland’s full 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2026
| player | Role |
|---|---|
| Paul Sterling(c) | opening batter |
| Lorcan Tucker (VC) | wicketkeeper-batsman |
| mark adair | bowler/allrounder |
| Ross Adair | batter |
| ben calitz | batter |
| curtis kaempfer | all-rounder |
| gareth delaney | all-rounder |
| George Dockrell | all-rounder |
| Matthew Humphreys | Bowler (left arm spin) |
| josh little | Bowler (left arm fast) |
| barry mccarthy | bowler |
| harry tector | batter |
| tim tector | batsman/allrounder |
| ben white | Bowler (Leg Spin) |
| craig young | bowler |
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