Ireland men’s team head coach Henrique Malan has informed the players and support staff that he will be stepping down from his role after more than four years in charge. The 45-year-old made the decision soon after leading Ireland to a historic 2-0 T20I series win over India.
Malan was appointed as Ireland head coach in 2022, and his contract runs until early 2027. However, he believes this is the right time to step down. His early departure will allow the new head coach to prepare the team ahead of the 2027 World Cup qualifiers during the ODI series against Afghanistan in August.
It’s been an absolute privilege – Henrique Malan on his time with Ireland
Henrique Malan reflected on his time as head coach and thanked the players, support staff and the wider Irish cricket community. He also said that his family enjoyed their years in Ireland and will always cherish the experience.
Henrique Malan said, “Working with these players, staff and the wider Irish cricket community has been an absolute privilege. My family and I have had a wonderful experience living here, and we will look back on our time involved in Irish cricket with great affection.”
We can look back with great pride – Henrique Malan on Ireland’s greatest achievements
Malan said he was proud of the team’s progress during his tenure and highlighted several historic wins. He credited the players and support staff for believing that they could compete with the best teams in the world.
He said, “On the field, we can look back with great pride on our historic T20 World Cup win against England in Melbourne, our first Test win against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi, our first home Test win against Zimbabwe in Belfast, the historic T20 series win on home soil versus India and our consistent ability to challenge and defeat Pakistan, West Indies, South Africa as well as direct qualification for the T20 World Cup through our consistent ability to challenge and defeat the world’s top teams Are.”
He joins us during a challenging period – Graeme West thanks Henrik Malan for his contribution
Cricket Ireland’s Director of High Performance, Graeme West thanked Henrique Malan for his contribution. He said Malan played a vital role in strengthening the Ireland men’s team and developing the country’s player pool.
Graeme West said, “I have very much enjoyed working with Henrique over the past two years and thank him for his outstanding contribution during that time. He joins us at a challenging period and has played a vital role in growing the set-up of the Ireland men’s team – from World Cup qualification to historic Test wins and in developing the depth of our playing group.”
West also said that discussions about 2027 World Cup qualifiers influenced the decision. He said Malan believes that stepping down now will give the next head coach enough time to prepare the team for the qualification campaign.
“In recent months, we have been discussing the upcoming World Cup qualifier cycle and what would best support the team’s preparation. In those conversations, Henrik expressed a desire to step back at this point, which aligns with our focus on ensuring continuity in that campaign,” West said.
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