Ireland to tour UAE ahead of T20 World Cup 2026
The games will be an important preparation for both teams before they travel to India and Sri Lanka for the global tournament.
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Ireland will tour the United Arab Emirates (UAE) ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Cricket Ireland and the Emirates Cricket Board confirmed that the two teams will play a short two-match T20I series in late January 2026. The games will be an important preparation for both teams before they travel to India and Sri Lanka for the global tournament.
The 2026 T20 World Cup will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, with teams already beginning their final phase of preparation. Ireland, who have been placed in Group B alongside Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and Oman, will begin their campaign in Sri Lanka. On the other hand, the UAE is grouped with South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, and Canada.
Ireland will arrive in the UAE in late January and will play two T20Is at the Dubai International Stadium. The first match is scheduled for January 29, followed by the second and final game on January 31. Richard Holdsworth, Director of Cricket at Cricket Ireland, thanked the Emirates Cricket Board for hosting the matches. He stated the significance of the series as part of Ireland’s warm-up plan. Holdsworth noted that more preparatory fixtures are expected to be announced soon, giving the team a strong build-up heading into the mega event.
"We are delighted that the Emirates Cricket Board has agreed to host and play two T20Is against Ireland at Dubai International Stadium. This series against the UAE will provide part of an exceptional warm-up programme for our players - we hope to announce more fixtures shortly. Our thanks to the ECB, and we look forward to playing some competitive cricket in such a prestigious stadium," Richard Holdsworth said.
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The UAE will also benefit from the series. Historically, they hold an edge over Ireland in T20Is, winning seven out of their 11 previous meetings. Playing at their home venue, especially at a world-class facility like Dubai International Stadium, gives them the ideal platform to fine-tune their squad before heading to India for the tournament. Their opening World Cup match will be against New Zealand in Chennai, followed by games against Canada, Afghanistan, and South Africa in Delhi. Ireland recently registered a win against Bangladesh in a three-match T20I series, recording their first T20I victory in 14 months.
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