Cricket Ireland in talks with BCCI to play warm-up matches for India’s tours of England

A few days back, it was confirmed that India will be playing the fifth Test of the incomplete series next year. Apart from that one Test, India is also scheduled to play three T20Is and as many ODIs against England during the summer. Now, according to some reports, Cricket Ireland has seen it as an opportunity to invite the Indian team on their shores.

It has been reported that Cricket Ireland has reached out to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to schedule some warm-up matches for the Indian team in Ireland. In 2018, when India was scheduled for a white-ball and red-ball tour to England, on their way, they did drop off in Ireland.

At the time, the senior men’s team played two T20Is at The Village in Malahide, winning both of them comprehensively. The report which was published by Sportskeeda also revealed that the attempt is to grow the game in Ireland and India touring them could be a massive boost. The anonymous source also revealed that the meeting between the two boards will take place during the ongoing T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

The meetings are expected to take place ahead of the T20 World Cup final: BCCI source

“Cricket Ireland has reached out to the BCCI and requested that they plan for India’s warm-up games to take place in Ireland. The request has been put in as a means of helping Irish cricket grow, and the talks are on between the boards. The meetings are expected to take place ahead of the T20 World Cup final,” the source confirmed.

The only other time apart from 2018 when India toured Ireland was way back in 2007, the year which brought Irish cricket to the forefront of the world. India played a one-off ODI against them and played a three-match ODI series against South Africa.

Speaking about India’s tour of England, the scheduling was initially done for only six white-ball fixtures. However, the fifth Test between the two teams earlier this year was canceled hours from the toss due to the danger of COVID-19 spreading in India’s camp. After several talks between the BCCI and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), it was finalized that the series will be completed in the summer of 2022. The series currently stands at 2-1.