News / National
Ireland confirm Zimbabwe series
16 Feb 2021 at 06:25hrs | Views
Ireland will meet South Africa and Zimbabwe in three-match One-Day International (ODI) series this summer.
Both series will form part of the World Cup Super League, with 10 qualification points up for grabs in each fixture.
They will host South Africa at Malahide in July before meeting Zimbabwe at Stormont early August.
Three-game Twenty20 series are also scheduled against both sides, with Cricket Ireland still hopeful of confirming two T20s against Pakistan.
Before their home summer, Ireland will travel to the Netherlands in early June for three ODIs, which will also count towards World Cup qualification.
Ireland have won just one of their opening six qualifying matches for the 2023 competition in India, having lost 2-1 away to England last summer before falling to a 3-0 series whitewash against Afghanistan last month.
Securing a top-eight finish in the league will ensure automatic qualification.
After Ireland's spring tour of Zimbabwe was postponed because of the COVID-19 situation in the country, the two sides will meet in Belfast for their ODI series, which will be followed by three T20s at Bready.
The 12 white-ball fixtures will be played across three venues and there is hope that a two-game T20 series against Pakistan will be added to the schedule, with talks ongoing between Cricket Ireland and the Pakistan Cricket Board.
"The year 2021 is certainly full of optimism, but of course, we can't ignore the great uncertainties still in the world," Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom said.
"Our planning is trying to factor that in as much as possible. We need to plan for matches to proceed, but with the background knowledge that circumstances might see further postponements."
Both series will form part of the World Cup Super League, with 10 qualification points up for grabs in each fixture.
They will host South Africa at Malahide in July before meeting Zimbabwe at Stormont early August.
Three-game Twenty20 series are also scheduled against both sides, with Cricket Ireland still hopeful of confirming two T20s against Pakistan.
Before their home summer, Ireland will travel to the Netherlands in early June for three ODIs, which will also count towards World Cup qualification.
Securing a top-eight finish in the league will ensure automatic qualification.
After Ireland's spring tour of Zimbabwe was postponed because of the COVID-19 situation in the country, the two sides will meet in Belfast for their ODI series, which will be followed by three T20s at Bready.
The 12 white-ball fixtures will be played across three venues and there is hope that a two-game T20 series against Pakistan will be added to the schedule, with talks ongoing between Cricket Ireland and the Pakistan Cricket Board.
"The year 2021 is certainly full of optimism, but of course, we can't ignore the great uncertainties still in the world," Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom said.
"Our planning is trying to factor that in as much as possible. We need to plan for matches to proceed, but with the background knowledge that circumstances might see further postponements."
Source - newsday
