Series Schedule
1st T20I: June 26, Belfast 2nd T20I: June 28, Belfast
Belfast, June 22: India will begin a new chapter in their T20I journey when they take on Ireland in a two-match series at the Stormont Cricket Ground in Belfast, starting June 26.
The series marks the beginning of Shreyas Iyer’s tenure as India’s T20 captain after he succeeded Suryakumar Yadav at the helm. With a fresh leadership group in place, the tour offers India an opportunity to test new combinations and build momentum ahead of a packed international calendar.
Both matches of the series will be played in Belfast, with the opening T20I scheduled for June 26 and the second game on June 28.
One of the biggest talking points ahead of the series is the presence of 15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the squad.
The youngster is in contention to make his international debut and could become one of the youngest players ever to represent India at the senior level if he gets the nod.
The Indian squad also features several established T20 stars, including Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Arshdeep Singh, alongside promising youngsters looking to cement their places in the national setup.
The tour had briefly faced uncertainty following reports of unrest in parts of Belfast. However, Cricket Ireland confirmed that the series will proceed as planned while continuing to monitor the situation in consultation with local authorities.
In a statement, Cricket Ireland reiterated that the safety and security of players, officials, coaches and supporters remain its highest priority.
With off-field concerns largely addressed, the focus now shifts to the action on the field as India aim to make a strong start under Iyer’s leadership against an Irish side eager to challenge one of the world’s leading white-ball teams.
India T20I Squad: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Prasidh Krishna. (Agencies)
