Injury‑hit Ireland rely on newcomers for five‑match ODI clash with Afghanistan

The Irish men’s side has unveiled a 14‑man squad for the opening three ODIs against Afghanistan, a series set to run from August 5 to 14. Captain Paul Stirling returns after rehabilitating from a stress fracture picked up during the recent T20 World Cup.

The list introduces three uncapped players – Jay Mundra, Ben Calitz and Byrne McDonough – who impressed in the T20 series win over India and have now earned a place in the limited‑overs squad. Their selection comes as a response to a spate of injuries that have sidelined key pacemen such as Josh Little, Matt Holland, Craig Young, Barry McCarthy, Jordan Neil and David Delany.

The first two matches will be hosted at Bready, while the remaining fixtures move to Stormont. This series also serves as head coach Gary Wilson’s inaugural assignment, adding further intrigue to the long‑standing competitive narrative between the two nations in all formats.