Andy Balbirnie unhappy with ICC, demands more matches for Ireland against top teams

Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie is not happy with the number of games they get to play in a year against the top nations. He has demanded more matches from the International Cricket Council (ICC), claiming the Irish deserve to play more international fixtures against the top teams.

Ireland played two T20Is against India and a three-match ODI series against New Zealand throughout their international summer. The Balbirnie-led side put on battling displays against India and New Zealand, coming close to winning the series against the Blackcaps. Balbirnie wants his side to play these opponents more often in the future. Playing just five matches against India and New Zealand combined is understandably inadequate for them as a full member of the ICC.

“It was an amazing game (third ODI against New Zealand), we did well to go toe-to-toe with them. Bitter pill to swallow but it was great. The two hundreds (from Paul Stirling and Harry Tector) were among the best I’ve seen. Tector has been threatening to do this, getting two in a week is special. Hope he will get more," said Balbirine.

“We want to be playing these teams regularly, two (T20Is) against India and three (ODIs) here. It’s a pity we don’t play any ODIs for the rest of the year," he added.

Ireland made things tough for the Kiwis throughout the three-match ODI series. They limited New Zealand to 120 for 5 while defending 300 in the first ODI, before the heroics of Michael Bracewell, took the game away from the Irish at the very last moment. Similarly, they came close to chasing 360 in the third ODI with centuries from Paul Stirling and Harry Tector, but could not finish it off in the end. 

Even the Hardik Pandya-led Indian side were pushed to the limit when the Irish almost chased down 226 in the second T20I of the two-match series last month. 

Therefore, Balbirnie’s disappointment with the lack of cricket is completely justified. 

This Irish side is young and promising. They have shown their pedigree in recent years when they won the ODI against World Champions, England. They also defeated the West Indies away from home, back in January. As a Test playing nation, Ireland expects to play frequently against the top teams as well.