Cricket

Irish Cricketer Simi Singh Recovering After Successful Liver TransplantIrish cricket all-rounder Simi Singh is on the road to recovery following a successful liver transplant surgery. The 37-year-old was diagnosed with acute liver failure earlier this month and underwent a 12-hour operation.Singh's wife, Agamdeep, generously donated part of her liver to save her husband's life. The surgery was performed at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, India.Singh's father-in-law, Parvinder Singh, revealed that the cricketer's illness was caused by a case of wrongly prescribed antibiotics and steroids.Cricket Ireland's chief executive, Warren Deutrom, praised Singh's contributions to Irish cricket. "Simi is a valued member of our team and we are delighted to hear that he is recovering well," Deutrom said.Singh has represented Ireland in 35 ODIs and 53 T20Is, including the 2021 and 2022 Men's T20 World Cups. He has taken 39 wickets in ODIs and 44 wickets in T20Is, including a memorable unbeaten century against South Africa.Singh's journey to recovery is a testament to the power of love and support. His wife's selfless act has given him a second chance at life. The cricket community and fans around the world are sending their best wishes for Singh's speedy recovery.

Graeme West, the current Cricket West Indies (CWI) high-performance manager, is set to take over as director of high performance at Cricket Ireland (CI) next month. West brings a wealth of experience to the role, having worked closely with young talent from across the West Indies during his stint with CWI that started in 2012.In 2016, West coached the West Indies team that lifted the Under-19 World Cup. After working with the U-19 and 'A' teams, his current role as high-performance manager included setting up academy programs and building a pool of coaches. He is expected to have a similar profile in Ireland.Before joining CWI, West spent five years at the Middlesex academy, where he worked with Ireland internationals Paul Stirling, Andy Balbirnie, Andrew Poynter, and Stuart Poynter. West has not played any top-flight cricket but holds a Level 4 ECB coaching qualification."I am delighted to be joining Cricket Ireland as the organization continues to grow and strengthen," West said in a statement. "The Strategic Plan for 2024-27 is incredibly exciting, and I look forward to applying my experience and philosophy to the wealth of talent and expertise that has been assembled as we further establish Ireland as a major cricketing nation."Warren Deutrom, the chief executive at CI, said the appointment was a step towards Ireland becoming a "fit-for-purpose Full Member.""When we set out to create and recruit for the role, the profile, initiative, and experience that Graeme possesses is exactly what we were looking for," Deutrom said. "We knew that in order to be successful in this new role, the candidate required leadership experience, exceptional people skills, and the ability to be a mentor as much as a manager. In Graeme, we believe we have found that candidate.""As an organization, we are going through a process of reviewing and evolving our operations to ensure we are fit-for-purpose as a Full Member in a rapidly changing environment. One of the strategic decisions we made was to acknowledge the scale and scope of our work has outgrown our pre-Full Member structures."The senior men's team has a busy few weeks ahead, with a white-ball tour of the UAE to play South Africa later this month. The senior women's team is set to host England for three ODIs and two ODIs starting Saturday.

The Irish government has approved the construction of a permanent international cricket stadium and High Performance Centre at the National Sports Campus in Dublin. This ambitious project is a significant step towards Ireland's goal of hosting the 2030 T20 World Cup alongside England and Scotland.Currently, Ireland lacks a permanent home stadium, relying on club cricket grounds with temporary seating. This has hindered the country's ability to host major international matches, including the recent postponement of a bilateral series against Australia.The new stadium will address this issue, providing a dedicated venue for Ireland's national cricket team. The first phase of the project will include a main cricket oval with a permanent seating capacity of 4000, a high-performance center, and facilities for players and officials. Completion is scheduled for 2028.The proposed facilities will include both indoor and outdoor practice and training areas, enhancing the development of Ireland's cricketers. The stadium will also increase the number of pitches available, allowing Ireland to host more international and domestic matches.Warren Deutrom, CEO of Cricket Ireland, hailed the announcement as a "huge tribute" to the sport's growth in Ireland. He believes the new facilities will "drive the sport forward" and assist Ireland's players in achieving success on the world stage.The stadium will not only benefit the national team but also provide opportunities for women's cricket, youth development, and provincial competitions. It is expected to become a hub for cricket in Ireland, fostering the sport's growth and popularity.

Heinrich Malan, the head coach of the Ireland men's cricket team, has signed a two-year contract extension, extending his tenure until mid-2027. This decision aligns with Ireland's goal of qualifying for the 2027 ODI World Cup, which will be hosted by South Africa and Zimbabwe.Malan's appointment in January 2022 marked a significant shift for Ireland, as he became the first non-Irish coach to lead the national team. Under his guidance, Ireland has made notable strides, particularly in the T20 format. They have successfully qualified for the last two T20 World Cups and even defeated eventual champions England in the group stage of the 2022 edition.In February 2023, Ireland achieved a historic milestone by securing their first-ever Test victory against Afghanistan. This triumph showcased the team's growing competitiveness across all three formats of the game.Malan's extension comes at a crucial time for Ireland, as they prepare for the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean. He will work closely with captain Paul Stirling to lead the team in this prestigious tournament."I am delighted with the extension as it provides the squad and coaching staff a great deal more certainty as we build upon the foundations we have put in place over the last two years," said Malan. "We are now a three-format squad and - despite our smaller talent pool to draw from compared to other Full Members - we have been gradually building a sustainable structure that ensures we can continue to compete and improve on all three fronts."Richard Holdsworth, High Performance Director of Cricket Ireland, praised Malan's contributions to the team's development. "Over the last 18 months or so, the team has improved significantly in the T20 format which was our weakest format," said Holdsworth. "His research into what world-class looks like, and the data he has gathered around the T20 format globally, has led to the production of a blueprint for the Ireland Men's team."Ireland's players recently secured revised central contracts, including pay raises, after negotiations. This demonstrates the growing recognition of the team's achievements and the commitment to supporting their development.As Ireland embarks on the next phase of their cricketing journey, Malan's leadership and strategic planning will be crucial in guiding them towards their goal of qualifying for the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Ireland's cricketers have secured a significant pay raise after Cricket Ireland (CI) and the Irish Cricketers' Association (ICA) reached an agreement on the terms of central contracts. The deal comes after a period of uncertainty, with players initially rejecting an offer from the board and facing the prospect of playing in the upcoming T20 World Cup on expired contracts.The new contracts, which will be issued immediately, will apply until the end of February 2025. CI chief executive Warren Deutrom confirmed that players have received a substantial pay increase. He emphasized that the board has always prioritized rewarding senior men's and women's players for their contributions to the growth of cricket in Ireland.Deutrom stated that the players have received the largest share of the new funding allocated to Irish cricket this year. He believes that this is appropriate, as it recognizes the players' hard work and success. However, he also stressed the importance of balancing player compensation with the need to fund other aspects of the sport, such as grassroots development and provincial cricket.Despite the delay in finalizing the contracts, Deutrom emphasized that relations between CI and the ICA remain strong. He attributed the delay to the late approval of the budget and the complexity of the new contract model. However, he praised the positive and collaborative approach taken by both parties in reaching an agreement.Cecelia Joyce, the ICA president, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the negotiations. She highlighted the unity among the players throughout the process and emphasized the significance of the agreement for professional cricketers in Ireland. She believes it will provide greater transparency and clarity regarding player compensation and contracting structures.CI has not yet announced the list of contracted players for the 2024-25 season. However, further details about the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and contracts are expected to be released in due course.

Cricket Ireland has confirmed a historic first men's tour of Pakistan in August and September 2024. The series will feature three T20 Internationals (T20Is) and three One-Day Internationals (ODIs), marking a significant milestone in the development of Irish cricket.The tour was originally scheduled for September 2025 as part of the Future Tours Programme (FTP). However, following discussions between PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Cricket Ireland Chair Brian MacNeice, the series was brought forward to 2024.The decision to tour Pakistan is a testament to the growing strength of Irish cricket and the improving security situation in the country. Ireland Women successfully toured Pakistan in November 2022, playing three ODIs and three T20Is.The PCB initially released a statement suggesting that Ireland would also play a Test series in Pakistan, but this was later denied by both the PCB and Cricket Ireland. A Cricket Ireland spokesperson stated that the details of the tour's fixture list would be discussed by the two boards in the future.The Pakistan men's team is currently in Ireland for a three-match T20I series. The sides have split the first two games 1-1, with the series decider scheduled for Tuesday.The upcoming tour of Pakistan will be a major test for Ireland, who have never played a Test match in the country. It will also provide a valuable opportunity for the Irish players to experience the passionate and knowledgeable Pakistani cricket fans.

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.

Josh Little, Ireland's star fast bowler, will remain with the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL) until their final group match on May 16. This decision has been made with the approval of Cricket Ireland, allowing Little to miss Ireland's upcoming T20I series against Pakistan and tri-series in the Netherlands.Little's absence from the Ireland squad is a significant blow as they prepare for the T20 World Cup in June. However, Cricket Ireland has allowed him to stay with the Titans due to his impressive performances in the IPL. In his first appearance of the season, Little took 4 for 45 against the Chennai Super Kings.Ireland's provisional 15-man squad for the World Cup remains unchanged from the one that faced Afghanistan in their recent T20I series. The squad will face Pakistan in three T20Is, starting in Dublin on Friday, and then play a tri-series with Netherlands and Scotland from May 19-24.Paul Stirling, Ireland's white-ball captain, will appear at his eighth successive T20 World Cup. He is the fifth-highest run-scorer in men's T20I history and has played a crucial role in Ireland's success in the tournament.The squad has undergone minor changes since 2022, when Ireland reached the Super 12s. Ross Adair, Neil Rock, and Ben White have been added to the squad, while Stephen Doheny, Fionn Hand, Conor Olphert, and Simi Singh have been omitted."The squad is one that we have gradually developed and tested out over the last 18 or so months," said Heinrich Malan, Ireland's coach. "We have an intensive block of T20 cricket coming up this month ahead of the T20 World Cup, and we will be aiming to win as many of those games as possible."Ireland will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against India on June 5 and will face Canada, USA, and Pakistan in the group stage.

Cricket Ireland has made the difficult decision to postpone its highly anticipated bilateral series against Australia this summer due to financial constraints. The series, which would have marked the first-ever men's bilateral encounter between the two nations, was scheduled for late August and included three ODIs and a T20I.Warren Deutrom, Cricket Ireland's chief executive, explained that the decision was made after careful consideration of the organization's financial situation. Ireland's lack of a permanent home stadium and the high costs associated with staging international cricket, including the need for significant temporary infrastructure, made it financially unfeasible to host Australia.Deutrom emphasized that the postponement highlights the urgent need for a permanent stadium in Ireland. He pointed to plans for a high-performance center at the Sport Ireland campus in Abbotstown, but acknowledged that the organization must compete for government funding with other priorities.Despite the setback, Deutrom defended Cricket Ireland's decision, stating that it is part of a broader effort to "rebalance our spend" and invest more in women's and age-group teams. He emphasized that Ireland will continue to play a significant number of international matches this year, including upcoming series against Pakistan, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.The postponement of the Australia series has raised questions about Cricket Ireland's financial management, particularly the recent purchase of two Tesla cars for senior officials. Deutrom defended the decision, explaining that the cars were purchased as part of a fleet renewal and that one has since been returned.