India To Play T20I Series In Ireland Before England White-Ball Tour

India's first T20I assignment after the World Cup triumph will be an Ireland tour in June. Ireland's director of high performance Graham West on Thursday (March 19, 2026) confirmed the series, which will be held before India's white-ball leg in England.

West, who also announced Paul Stirling's decision to step down as Ireland's T20I captain, said the India series is part of their plans for the upcoming summer. India host Afghanistan for a one-off Test and a three-match ODI series ending on June 20, and will travel to England for five T20Is and three ODIs from July 1-19, with the Ireland tour penciled in between.

"With qualification secured for the T20 World Cup in 2028, Paul's (Stirling) decision to stand down as T20 captain provides the opportunity for the new captain to begin implementing their style and methodology, starting with the India series in June," West said in a press release.

India have toured Ireland three times in the last seven years (2018, 2022 and 2023), drawing strong crowds at Malahide on the outskirts of Dublin.

"It has been a tremendous honour to lead Ireland in this format and something I have been incredibly proud to do. Captaining your country is a privilege that carries great responsibility, and I'm very grateful for the trust and support I have received during my time in the role," Stirling said.

He stepped down after a disappointing T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Ireland lost to Sri Lanka and Australia before defeating Oman, while their final match against Zimbabwe was abandoned.

Stirling will continue to lead Ireland in ODIs and said he remains "fully committed" to contributing across formats. "I still have a huge amount of ambition as a player and feel this decision will allow me to fully focus on being the best version of myself and making the strongest possible contribution on the field," he said.

(With PTI inputs)