Ireland have named uncapped players Stephen Doheny and Conor Olphert in their 14-member squad for the upcoming two-match T20 series against India to be played in Malahide at the end of this month. (More Cricket News)
Doheny and Olphert, who were recently handed retainer contracts by Cricket Ireland, have earned call-ups for the two T20s against India, on the back of their impressive performances in the domestic circuit.
Doheny, 23, plays his club cricket with Merrion and is the current leading run-scorer in the Inter-Provincial T20 Trophy competition with 158 runs with a highest score of 74 not out. Doheny has all scored valuable runs at the top of the order in the 50-over inter-provincial competition, with 146 runs and a highest score of 97.
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Olphert, 26, plays for Bready at club level, and while he made his List A debut in 2020, the current season has been his most eye-catching. The pace bowler, renowned for his pace and bounce, was taken as a net bowler on Ireland Men’s tour to the UAE in early 2021.
He has claimed six wickets at 19.17 in the Inter-Provincial T20 Trophy so far and has also bagged six wickets in the 50-over competition.
The squad will be led by regular skipper Andrew Balbirnie and his side features a good mix of young and experienced talents, including the likes of Paul Stirling – Ireland's top batter on the ICC T20 Rankings.
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With the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia fast approaching, both sides will look to experiment in order to find the right combination for the marquee event. The last time the two sides met in a T20 bilateral affair was in 2018. India swept the two-match series comfortably.
Squad: Andrew Balbirnie (c), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Josh Little, Andrew McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Conor Olphert, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Craig Young.
