Cricket Ireland announced the full list of centrally contracted players for the 2026–27 season. A total of 48 players, including both men and women cricketers, have signed the contracts. While 25 male players have completed the paperwork, 23 female players have got the deal.
On the evening of 25 March, the International Cricket Council (ICC) published the full list of male and female players who have received central contracts from Ireland Cricket. The ICC reported that of the 25 male cricketers, 20 are under full-time contracts and five players have been awarded retainer contracts.
Several players are set to make their international debut for Ireland
On the other hand, the cricket board adopted a slightly complicated approach to decide the central contract for the women’s cricket team. The ICC said that eight players in the women’s team have signed full-time contracts, including 10 on education contracts and five on casual contracts. Six players will be full-time on education contracts during the year.
Seven players received their first central contracts for the men’s cricket team. Five of them made their international debut in 2025. Ben Calitz, Jordan Neal, Tom Mayes, Tim Tector and Cade Carmichael are the five players who made their debut for the Ireland cricket national team in 2025.
The upcoming summer will be extremely hot for both men’s and women’s cricket teams
The coming months are going to be a very busy few months for the Irish men’s cricket team, who will be in action for all three formats, while the women’s cricket team will be preparing for the Women’s T20 World Cup.
“Central contracts are an important component of the development of our senior squads, as they help to ensure the availability and preparation of players who will play for Ireland on the global stage during the next 12 months.”
“With the men’s team playing all three formats this summer and our women playing both white-ball formats, including the T20 World Cup, it is important,” Cricket Ireland high performance director Graeme West said.
For the men’s T20I cricket team, the Ireland Cricket Board will have to select a new captain as their long-serving leader, Paul Stirling, has stepped down from the role following the conclusion of the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Complete list of players who received central contracts
List of male players who got central contracts:
Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie – Test captain, Ben Calitz, Curtis Campher, Cade Carmichael, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Gavin Hoey, Matthew Hollard, Matthew Humphreys, Joshua Little, Tom Mayes, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Liam McCarthy, Jordan Neal, Paul Stirling – ODI captain, Harry Tector, Tim Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Reuben Wilson, Craig Young.
List of women players who got central contracts:
Ava Canning, Christina Coulter Reilly, Alana Dalzell, Georgina Dempsey, Laura Delaney, Sarah Forbes, Abbie Harrison, Amy Hunter, Jennifer Jackson, Arlene Kelly, Gabby Lewis – ODI & T20I captain, Louise Little, Joanna Loughran, Amy Maguire, Jane Maguire, Lara McBride, Kia McCartney, Ellie McGee, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast, Rebecca Stokell, Alice Tector.
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