The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that the reigning world champions will take on Ireland in a two-match T20I series scheduled for June 26 and June 28. The fixtures will serve as preparation ahead of India’s white-ball tour of England. Both matches are set to be played in Belfast, marking India’s first appearance at the venue since 2007.
Announcing the tour, BCCI secretary Jay Shah stated, “Team India (Senior Men) will travel to Ireland for a two-match T20I series in June 2026. Having toured Ireland three times in the past eight years (2018, 2022 and 2023). This tour will mark India’s return to Belfast for the first time since 2007.”
The series has been limited to two games due to scheduling challenges, with discussions between the two boards continuing for several months as they worked to find an available slot in an already crowded international calendar.
The confirmation from the BCCI came shortly after Ireland’s director of high performance Graham West had earlier acknowledged the upcoming fixtures while addressing Paul Stirling’s decision to step down from the role of T20I captain.
India will host Afghanistan for a one-off Test followed by a three-match ODI series that concludes on June 20 before heading to Ireland. After the T20I engagements, the team is set to travel to England for a white-ball series consisting of five T20Is and three ODIs scheduled between July 1 and July 19.
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In recent years, India have toured Ireland three times, attracting notable crowd support at Malahide on the outskirts of Dublin. West had highlighted the importance of the upcoming contest as part of Ireland’s summer plans, saying, “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.”
