Ireland’s cricket struggles as England enjoys a packed summer
England closed their cricket summer with Twenty20 matches in the following days, adding to a busy run of eight white-ball games in three weeks. For Ireland, who host England in Malahide, the picture is starkly different. Their last home series was against the West Indies in June, and two of those matches were washed out. Ireland’s players and fans face long gaps between games, a problem that has become common in recent years.
Cancelled tours and high costs
Ireland’s cricket schedule has suffered repeated setbacks. A tour by Australia was cancelled last year, while Afghanistan’s planned visit this summer was also dropped due to financial strain. Without a permanent stadium, Cricket Ireland must build temporary stands and facilities each time an international match is held, adding heavy costs.
Former Chief Executive Officer Warren Deutrom explained that while the board gained more funding from the International Cricket Council, rising from €10.2m to €16.4m in 2024, resources are now spread across different areas of the sport.
A push for long-term solutions
To solve infrastructure challenges, Cricket Ireland has secured government approval to build a new stadium in west Dublin. The ground is planned to be ready before the 2030 T20 World Cup, which Ireland will co-host with England and Scotland. Leaders hope this project will provide a permanent home for the sport and reduce the high expense of temporary venues.
However, short-term challenges remain. A new franchise event, the European T20 Premier League (ETPL), was expected to begin in July 2024 but was delayed to 2026. Despite promotion with investor Abhishek Bachchan, no franchise owners were confirmed, leaving another gap in the calendar.
Leadership changes and player concerns
Deutrom stepped down after 19 years as chief executive, saying he wanted to focus on the ETPL as chair. He admitted that the league’s launch timeline was too ambitious but remains hopeful of securing long-term investment.
For players like Paul Stirling, however, the key issue is the lack of matches. He believes the ETPL could raise standards by bringing in overseas talent, but until then, Ireland remains at a disadvantage compared with rivals like England, who benefit from constant cricket through formats such as the Hundred.
Building Ireland’s cricket future
Ireland’s cricket future depends on more than plans and funding. A permanent home ground and a successful league could provide stability, but the immediate need is clear. Players must play more often to compete at the highest level. Until that happens, Ireland will continue to fall behind stronger cricket nations that enjoy busy summers.
The women's team has received a good share of the funding. Recently, they have had promising results, including multiple wins in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifiers against teams like Italy and Germany.
