New Ireland head coach Gary Wilson has challenged his squad to secure their place in the upcoming 50-over World Cup as they prepare for a five-match series against Afghanistan. Having participated in the 2011 and 2015 tournaments, Wilson emphasized that his team is fully committed to reaching the event hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
Ireland faces a challenging path to qualification, requiring success in a 10-team qualifying event next year to earn a spot in the 2027 tournament. Despite a lack of recent 50-over experience, Wilson is encouraging his players to pursue significant milestones for Irish cricket. He pointed to past successes in rugby and earlier cricket achievements as proof that the team is capable of accomplishing extraordinary results.
Wilson takes over from Heinrich Malan following a historic T20 series win against India. While he acknowledges the difficulty of balancing his new leadership role with former peer relationships, he plans to focus on clear communication. The squad for the Afghanistan series features the return of Paul Stirling, Mark Adair, and Curtis Campher, though they will be missing several players, including Josh Little and Craig Young, due to injury. Newcomer Jai Moondra is set to make his ODI debut.
