Adair and Little Ruled Out of England T20 Internationals

Ireland will be without seasoned players Mark Adair and Josh Little as they face England in a historic T20I series at Malahide, starting September 17. Both players are currently undergoing rehabilitation and were not considered for selection.

This series represents Ireland’s first T20I hosting of England. The two teams have crossed paths twice in T20Is: a washout in 2010 and a memorable five-run Irish victory in the rain-curtailed Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 match in Melbourne.

The Irish team has called up wicketkeeper-batter Ben Calitz for the series, marking his T20I debut. The 23-year-old, originally from Vancouver, Canada, previously played at the Under-19 level for Canada before relocating to Ireland in 2022.

Squad: Paul Stirling (C), Ross Adair, Ben Calitz, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Barry McCarthy, Jordan Neil, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young

“Each match against England holds its significance, and this series is particularly crucial, being less than six months away from the next T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka,” said Andrew White, the men’s national selector. “Playing England allows us to measure ourselves against one of the world’s best teams as we prepare for the tournament. We’ll be participating in as many T20Is over the next five months as we’ve played during this cycle, shifting to venues in Asia and the Middle East to familiarize ourselves with the expected conditions there.”

“It’s unlucky that Mark, Fionn Hand, and Josh are unavailable, but this gives other bowlers a chance to step up and vie for World Cup places,” White added.

“While our top-order batting has strong cover, we’re seeking depth in the middle order. Aiding this effort, Ben Calitz joins the squad, offering a left-handed batting option and wicketkeeping cover. Additionally, Jordan Neill is back as cover for Mark Adair after the West Indies ODI series this summer, which was cut short due to injury.”