Ireland Men Face T20 World Cup on Expired Contracts Amid Contract Negotiations

Ireland's men's cricket team faces the prospect of playing in next month's T20 World Cup on expired central contracts as negotiations between Cricket Ireland (CI) and the Irish Cricketers' Association (ICA) continue.

CI announced its central contracts for 2023-24 in March 2023, with 14 men's players signing two-year deals and seven others signing one-year contracts. However, those contracts expired at the end of February, and players have been playing under the terms of those deals since, which have rolled over indefinitely until negotiations for 2024-25 are complete.

According to The Irish Times, male players rejected CI's most recent contract offer last week, while centrally-contracted female players delayed their decision until after the recently-concluded T20 World Cup Qualifiers.

Ireland's men have a busy schedule over the next two weeks, playing seven T20Is between May 10-24 against Pakistan, Netherlands, and Scotland. They will then fly to the United States for the T20 World Cup, where they face India, Pakistan, USA, and Canada in Group A.

A spokesperson for CI declined to comment while negotiations were ongoing, and the ICA did not respond when contacted by ESPNcricinfo. It is understood that players are seeking pay rises, which will be back-dated to March if approved and when contracts are eventually signed.

CI recently announced its men's and women's home fixtures for 2024, following a long delay due to the late sign-off of their budget. Funding and logistical issues have caused the cancellation of an incoming men's tour by Australia and a men's white-ball series against Zimbabwe, while their men's 'home' series against South Africa will be staged in Abu Dhabi.

Tags: #CricketIreland, #IrishCricketersAssociation, #T20WorldCup, #CentralContracts, #PlayerNegotiations