Allrounders Fionn Hand and Gareth Delany make a return to the Ireland squad for the T20I series against India later this month. They come in at the expense of wicketkeeper-batter Neil Rock and pacer Graham Hume - these were the only changes to the Ireland squad that featured in the T20 World Cup Europe Region Qualifier in Scotland in July.
Ireland had secured their spot in next year's T20 World Cup, to be played in the West Indies and USA, finishing in the top two along with Scotland in that qualifier. Andrew White, Ireland men's national selector, said the idea now is to build towards that showpiece event.
"The recent qualifying campaign in Scotland was the first stage of our strategic planning for next June's T20 World Cup," White said. "We currently have around 15 T20Is scheduled between now and the World Cup, so it is important that we use each of these to continue to build on areas that the coaching team have identified.
"We only have a limited time between now and the end of the 2023 domestic season, so it's also crucial that we use what opportunities we have to provide exposure and experience to a pool of players who we believe are in contention for making that World Cup squad. Giving opportunities to players also filters down the series themselves, so I would expect that all of the 15 players named in the India series squad will feature at some point."
Hand is back in contention for the first time since Ireland's one-off Test against England at Lord's in early June. Delany was part of the ODI squad that played the 50-over World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe in June-July, but he had to leave that tournament with a broken wrist. Unlike the T20 version, Ireland failed to seal their spot at the ODI World Cup in India later this year after a forgettable campaign in Zimbabwe.
The T20Is against India are set to be played in Malahide on August 18, 20 and 23.
Ireland squad for India T20I series: Paul Stirling (capt), Andrew Balbirnie, Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Fionn Hand, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Theo van Woerkom, Ben White, Craig Young
In: Gareth Delany, Fionn Hand
Out: Neil Rock, Graham Hume