Ireland’s focus has already shifted to the 2027
season, according to their head coach Heinrich Malan, as the team gets ready
for this week’s three-match ODI series against England, their first 50-over
appearances since missing out on this year’s World Cup. While the rest of the
world is turning its attention to the 2023 World Cup in India next month,
Ireland is already focused on the 2027 campaign.
Cricket The team’s poor qualifying campaign in
Zimbabwe in June and July, a performance that Malan acknowledged “still
hurts us,” has not yet been the subject of Ireland’s official
investigation. Ireland entered the competition with great expectations, but
after losing their first three games—to Oman, Scotland, and Sri Lanka—they were
eliminated from the group stage. The Netherlands and Sri Lanka took the other
two remaining World Cup slots.
“For us, it’s having an eye on building towards
2027,” Malan said. “Yes, it’s still a long period away but we’ve got
to make sure that, every time we play, we are clear on what those objectives
are and try and execute that to the best of our ability.
“A fair few of our lads are really excited about
these opportunities, to come over here and play more 50-over cricket, and
hopefully kickstart another cycle for us in the one-day format. We’ve got some
exciting players that have shown that, over time, they can perform and here’s
another opportunity for them to do that.”
Ireland really had a winning streak over England in
white-ball cricket going into this series. At the T20 World Cup in Melbourne
last year, they defeated England by five runs on DLS in a game hampered by
rain. Three years prior, they had triumphed in their most recent ODI match
against England, and they did so in memorable manner as well, chasing a record
329 at the Ageas Bowl to win by seven wickets.
Since Balbirnie’s resignation, Stirling has assumed
interim leadership of Ireland’s team. Stirling and Curtis Campher, a
24-year-old all-rounder, will now be forming a new partnership at the top of
the order after Ireland’s batting lineup was changed.
“Curtis has played that rescue role for us a few
times, when we’ve been in trouble early doors,” Malan said, citing the
century he made from No.6 against Scotland in Bulawayo in June, after Ireland
had been reduced to 70 for 5. “He’s got some real quality and real
capabilities in terms of facing the new ball. He’s a very good player of hard
pace, especially if it’s short. And it’s a natural progression in terms of the
next step in his career.