(Cricket news) The Ireland Women’s team will become the first senior Irish side to tour Pakistan in history when they play a six-match white-ball series in November 2022. The series was confirmed jointly by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Cricket Ireland and the announcement comes days after the Pakistan Women’s team made public their tour to Ireland in July (for a T20I Tri-Series between Ireland, Pakistan and Australia to be played at Bready Cricket Club).
Ireland and Pakistan have a 60 year old history of international cricket but this is the first time a senior men’s or women’s side will be playing in Pakistan. The Women’s team first met at the 1997 Women’s World Cup where the Irish team won by 182 runs. The two sides then met in a Test match in 2000 in Dublin and have played each other in 33 matches across all formats with Pakistan winning 24 and Ireland 9. The last match between the two teams was at the Women’s T20 World Cup 2018.
TOUR FIXTURES
6 November 2022: Pakistan Women v Ireland Women – 1st ODI (venue TBC; 10am start local time)*
8 November 2022: Pakistan Women v Ireland Women – 2nd ODI (venue TBC; 10am start local time)*
11 November 2022: Pakistan Women v Ireland Women – 3rd ODI (venue TBC; 10am start local time)*
14 November 2022: Pakistan Women v Ireland Women – 1st T20I (venue TBC; 10am start local time)
16 November 2022: Pakistan Women v Ireland Women – 2nd T20I (venue TBC; 10am start local time)
18 November 2022: Pakistan Women v Ireland Women – 3rd T20I (venue TBC; 10am start local time)
* The ODIs are part of the ICC Women’s Championship
Laura Delany, Captain of Ireland Women, said: “We couldn’t have asked for a better start to 2022, following the announcement of full time contracts. We have a busy summer ahead and are greatly looking forward to the prospect of playing Pakistan in an away series.
“As a squad we haven’t travelled to Pakistan before, but now having qualified for the ICC Women’s Championship we have been presented with this opportunity, one that no doubt will be a good challenge towards the end of the year. Having not played in Asian conditions for a few years now due to COVID-19, with a young squad this will be an invaluable opportunity as we are set to play more regularly in this part of the world over coming years.”
Richard Holdsworth, High Performance Director at Cricket Ireland, said: “We are delighted to confirm this historic tour to Pakistan and appreciate the support of the Pakistan Cricket Board in arranging the tour. This year will be 25 years since the two women’s sides first met on the field, and will be the first time in five years an Ireland Women’s side has played in Asia. Ireland and Pakistan have a deep cricket bond in both women’s and men’s cricket – and we will be as delighted to welcome them to Ireland in July as we will be to visit Pakistan in November.”
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