Zimpapers Logo

IRELAND Women will play West Indies, Zimbabwe and Scotland as part of their preparations for the T20 World Cup qualifiers this year.

The Zimbabwe series will be staged as double-headers with the men’s three T20 matches at Stormont and Bready in July.

West Indies will visit Dublin for three games in late May.

Cricket Ireland has also agreed a three-game series against Scotland with the dates and venues to be decided once the World Cup qualifiers have been set.

The qualifying tournament for the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup will be held this year, with the timings and venues yet to be announced.

In addition to their T20 series, Ireland will also play Zimbabwe Women in three 50-over matches at Oak Hill in County Wicklow, but these will not have official ODI status under International Cricket Council rules.

“This season we are to take women’s international fixtures around Ireland and the schedule has allowed us to create three double-header events, where men’s and women’s T20 Internationals will share the bill,” said Ireland Women’s head coach Aaron Hamilton.

“The larger goal for the squad at this point is twofold – to qualify for the next T20 World Cup in Australia in February 2020, and to ensure our world ranking is maintained so we are part of the new Women’s Championship post-2021.

“Last year almost 600-caps of experience retired – it will be a challenge to go into this next phase without those players, but when I look at the talent and potential coming through, I believe we are well placed to achieve those objectives.”

The increased fixture list is part of a strategy to promote the development of women’s cricket after Cricket Ireland’s recent decision to offer professional women’s contracts for the first time. — BBC Sport