Ireland Women's Cricket Team 2026: Complete Squad Guide, Player Profiles & T20 World Cup Preview
Ireland Women are back where they belong. After missing the 2024 ICC Women's T20 World Cup, the Irish side clawed their way back through a gruelling Global Qualifier in Nepal and have arrived at the 2026 ICC Women's T20 World Cup in England and Wales with fire in their belly, a new captain at the helm, and five fresh faces hungry to make their mark on the global stage.
This is not the same Ireland team that struggled through 2023. This is a side with belief, form, and genuine match-winners.
Ireland Women's Cricket Team Profile 2026
| Detail | Info |
| Full Team Name | Ireland Women's Cricket Team |
| Governing Body | Cricket Ireland |
| Captain | Gaby Lewis |
| Vice-Captain | Orla Prendergast |
| Head Coach | Lloyd Tennant |
| ICC T20I Ranking | 9th |
| ICC ODI Ranking | 10th |
| Tournament | ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 |
| Group | Group 2 |
| World Cup Appearances | 5th |
| Total T20Is Played | 152 |
| Kit Sponsor | Macron |
| Home Ground | Clontarf Cricket Club, Dublin |
Source: ICC & Cricket Ireland (cricketireland.ie)
How Ireland Qualified for the T20 World Cup 2026
Through the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Global Qualifier in Nepal, Ireland fought past several teams to secure one of the four final spots in this expanded 12-team tournament. Captain Gaby Lewis led the charge personally, finishing as the tournament's top run-scorer with 276 runs across seven innings at a strike rate of 119.48. Arlene Kelly finished second among all wicket-takers at the qualifier with 13 wickets from seven games.
It was a statement campaign. And Ireland carried that momentum straight into a home Tri-Series in May 2026, where they demolished Pakistan Women, chasing 177 with seven wickets in hand — their highest-ever successful run-chase in T20I cricket.
Ireland Women's Group 2 Match Schedule – T20 World Cup 2026
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Time (IST) |
| 13 June 2026 | vs Scotland | Old Trafford, Manchester | 4:00 PM |
| 16 June 2026 | vs England | Ageas Bowl, Southampton | 11:00 PM |
| 19 June 2026 | vs New Zealand | Ageas Bowl, Southampton | 11:00 PM |
| 23 June 2026 | vs Sri Lanka | County Ground, Bristol | 8:00 PM |
| 27 June 2026 | vs West Indies | County Ground, Bristol | 8:00 PM |
Ireland Women's Cricket Team 2026: Player Profiles & Stats
| Player | Role | T20I Matches | Batting SR | Economy Rate | Bowling SR |
| Gaby Lewis (c) | Batter | 114 | 117.14 | 8.00* | — |
| Orla Prendergast (vc) | All-Rounder | 81 | ~121.00 | 5.69 | ~19.8 |
| Amy Hunter | WK-Batter | 62 | 114.52 | — | — |
| Laura Delany | All-Rounder | 100+ | ~100.00 | ~6.20 | ~27.0 |
| Leah Paul | Batter | 70+ | ~105.00 | ~6.50* | ~24.0* |
| Rebecca Stokell | Batter | 40+ | ~112.00 | — | — |
| Arlene Kelly | Bowler | 80+ | ~85.00 | 5.52* | ~18.0* |
| Louise Little | All-Rounder | 50+ | ~95.00 | ~6.80 | ~22.0* |
| Cara Murray | Bowler | 60+ | — | ~6.40 | ~20.0* |
| Georgina Dempsey | Bowler | 50+ | — | ~6.50 | ~21.0* |
| Ava Canning | Bowler | 20+ | — | ~6.90 | ~20.0* |
| Alana Dalzell | Bowler | 15+ | — | ~6.80* | ~22.0* |
| Lara McBride | Bowler | 15+ | — | ~5.80* | ~18.0* |
| Aimee Maguire | Bowler | 20+ | — | ~6.20* | ~19.0* |
| Christina Coulter Reilly | WK-Batter | 10+ | ~95.00 | — | — |
Source: Cricket Ireland official squad announcement, 20 May 2026
Gaby Lewis
- Age: 25 (March 27, 2001)
- Role: Captain, top-order batter
Gaby Lewis is the heartbeat of Ireland Women's batting and the face of this new chapter in Irish cricket. She debuted at the age of 13 against South Africa in 2014. Twelve years on, she heads into this World Cup as Ireland's all-time leading T20I run-scorer with 3,048 runs from 114 matches, averaging 31.42 at a strike rate of 117.14, including 18 fifties and two centuries. In the 2026 Global Qualifier, she was quite simply the best batter in the tournament. Captaining Ireland at a major ICC event for the first time, Lewis carries both the armband and the team's biggest batting hopes.
Orla Prendergast
- Age: 24 (June 1, 2002)
- Role: Batting All-Rounder
Ranked inside the top 10 T20I all-rounders globally, Orla Prendergast has developed into one of Associate cricket's most dangerous two-format players. She has scored over 1,744 T20I runs and claimed 60 T20I wickets at a bowling average of 19.56 and economy of 5.69 - figures that would make many Full Member bowlers envious. In the 2025-26 season alone, she was named ICC Women's Player of the Month for August 2025 after taking four wickets and scoring 144 runs in a home series win over Pakistan.
Amy Hunter
- Age: 20 (October 11, 2005)
- Role: Wicket-Keeper Batter
Amy Hunter is one of Irish cricket's greatest talents. She holds the record as the youngest player to score a T20I century, a milestone she achieved as a teenager and has since repeated. Across 62 T20I matches, she has amassed 1,514 runs at an average of 30.28 and a strike rate of 114.52. These are the numbers that reflect both her solidity and her ability to accelerate.
Laura Delany
- Age: 33 (December 23, 1992)
- Role: All-Rounder
Laura Delany is the most experienced voice in this dressing room. She captained Ireland at the 2023 Women's T20 World Cup and now returns in a senior all-rounder's role under Gaby Lewis. What makes this tournament potentially historic for Delany is that she is on the verge of becoming the first Irish women's player to take 100 T20I wickets. Her off-spin is a disciplined, wicket-taking option in the middle overs, and her lower-order batting has rescued Ireland in tight chases on multiple occasions.
Leah Paul
- Age: 26 (September 10 1999)
- Role: Batter
Leah Paul has been a consistent and reliable presence in Ireland's top order for several seasons. She bats with composure rather than fireworks, and while she may not make the headlines as often as Lewis or Prendergast, her ability to build an innings and anchor the batting unit is vital.
Rebecca Stokell
- Age: 26 (March 13, 2000)
- Role: Batter
Rebecca Stokell had her tournament moment in the 2026 Tri-Series, scoring an unbeaten 60 off 42 balls to anchor Ireland's record chase of 177 against Pakistan. She also bowls a useful right-arm medium as a secondary option. Stokell brings calm to the middle order — a player who does the unglamorous but essential work of holding the innings together when the top three fall cheaply.
Arlene Kelly
- Age: 32 (January 8, 1994)
- Role: All-rounder (Right-hand bat, right-arm medium-fast bowler)
Arlene Kelly has been one of Ireland's most reliable match-winners with the ball for years. She reached the milestone of 100 international wickets in July 2025 against Zimbabwe. It was a fitting achievement for a player whose discipline and control have consistently troubled quality batting line-ups. At the Global Qualifier, she was the second-highest wicket-taker in the whole tournament with 13 wickets from seven games at an economy of 5.52. In England's seaming, overcast conditions, Kelly could be Ireland's most dangerous weapon.
Louise Little
- Age: 23 (May 16, 2003)
- Role: All-Rounder
Louise Little gives Ireland balance. A capable contributor with bat and ball, she provides the captain with flexibility. She is a player who can bowl her overs economically and chip in with useful runs in the middle order without needing to carry the innings. Her role in the playing XI may depend on conditions, but she is a trusted name in the setup.
Cara Murray
- Age: 25 (November 1, 2000)
- Role: Bowler
Cara Murray has been a consistent wicket-taker in Ireland's bowling unit. In the July 2025 home T20I series against Zimbabwe, she was Ireland's best bowler, taking seven wickets across the three-match series. She bowls with good pace and uses variation intelligently, making her an important factor in Ireland's pace attack.
Georgina Dempsey
- Age: 21 (July 29, 2004)
- Role: All-rounder
Georgina Dempsey adds a different dimension to Ireland's bowling. A spin option who can be deployed in the middle overs to change the pace of the game, Dempsey featured in Ireland's training camp at the Sport Ireland Campus ahead of the tournament and has been part of the squad's building process over recent years. She provides the captain with an alternative when the seamers are being attacked.
Ava Canning
- Age: 22 (February 2, 2004)
- Role: right-arm medium-pace bowler
Ava Canning is one of five players set to make her Women's T20 World Cup debut at this tournament, and she arrives with serious credentials. In the 2026 Tri-Series, she was Ireland's most economical bowler in the match against Pakistan, picking up two wickets for 35 runs, including the dangerous Muneeba Ali. She has the pace to trouble batters on English pitches and could be a genuine surprise package for opposition teams who have not seen much of her.
Alana Dalzell
- Age: 25 (March 26 2001)
- Role: batting all-rounder
Another World Cup debutant, Alana Dalzell, has worked her way into this squad through consistent domestic and qualifier performances. She brings control to both the bowling and batting attack.
Lara McBride
- Age: 20 (April 29, 2006)
- Role: Bowler (Right-arm off-break)
Lara McBride is one of the most exciting fast-bowling prospects Ireland has produced in recent years. She made her T20I debut against Zimbabwe in July 2025 and immediately made an impact. At the Global Qualifier, she took 11 wickets in six innings. In English conditions that favour seam movement, McBride's ability to pitch the ball up and move it both ways makes her a potentially decisive figure in this campaign.
Aimee Maguire
- Age: 19 (September 9, 2006)
- Role: Bowler (Right-hand bat, Slow left-arm orthodox)
Aimee Maguire missed the Tri-Series after a knee injury but fought her way back to fitness in time for the World Cup - a selection call that speaks to how highly the coaches rate her. She had taken 11 wickets in six innings at the qualifier before the injury setback and was a standout in the ODI series against England in 2024, where she topped the wicket charts for Ireland. When fully fit, she adds genuine pace and aggression that no other Irish bowler quite replicates.
Christina Coulter Reilly
- Age: 22 (August 17, 2003)
- Role: Wicket-Keeper Batter
Christina Coulter Reilly is the reserve wicket-keeper and a useful batting option in the lower order. She has featured in T20I squads for Ireland over the past two seasons and offers the captain the security of having a capable second-keeping option should anything happen to Amy Hunter.
Ireland Women's Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
Top-order firepower: The Lewis–Hunter opening partnership is Ireland's greatest asset. Both are aggressive, experienced, and capable of setting a platform that the middle order can build on. When both fire, Ireland have proven they can chase or set any T20 total.
Orla Prendergast's all-round ability: Having a top-10-ranked global T20 all-rounder is a luxury most Associate nations do not have. Prendergast can win a match with either discipline on any given day.
Bowling depth: Ireland have genuine options across pace and spin — Kelly, McBride, Canning, Maguire, Murray, Dalzell, and Dempsey. The captain has a real variety to rotate, and in English conditions that favour seam bowling, this could be a serious weapon.
Momentum and hunger: After missing the 2024 World Cup, this squad has a point to prove. The Tri-Series results confirmed they are in form — not just going through the motions of tournament preparation.
Weaknesses
Middle-order fragility: Ireland has a recurring pattern of explosive collapses. When the top three fall quickly, the middle order has often failed to arrest the slide, leaving the lower order to scramble.
Over-dependence on two players: If Lewis and Prendergast underperform with the bat on the same day, Ireland’s innings can unravel rapidly. The team lacks a third genuinely dangerous batting option who consistently performs at an international level.
Fitness concerns going in: Lewis entered the tournament nursing a leg injury sustained while playing for Lancashire and was rested from the Tri-Series as a precaution. Any setback to her fitness would be Ireland's worst nightmare.
World Cup experience gap: Five debutants in a 15-member squad is a significant number. The pressure and atmosphere of a global ICC event are different from qualifier cricket, and some of those fresh faces may struggle to adapt quickly.
What to Expect from Ireland Women at the T20 World Cup 2026
Ireland is not here to make up the numbers, but they are realistic about the mountain they face in Group 2. Facing England, New Zealand, the West Indies, Sri Lanka, and Scotland, their path to the semi-finals is narrow. The realistic targets are wins against Scotland and Sri Lanka, with an outside chance of upsetting West Indies if conditions suit and their best players fire on the same day.
What you can expect is intent. Ireland plays aggressive, positive cricket. They will look to smash the powerplay, attack spin in the middle overs, and attack in the death. Their bowling line-up is well-suited to English conditions, and Arlene Kelly in particular could be a very different proposition at home compared to flat Asian decks.
The most exciting prospect: Gaby Lewis captaining Ireland on an English stage, fully fit, carrying the form of her career. If she goes big, Ireland can embarrass the best in the game.
Also read- South Africa Women's T20 World Cup 2026 Squad
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the captain of the Irish women's team at the ICC T20 World Cup 2026?
Gaby Lewis is captaining Ireland Women at the 2026 ICC Women's T20 World Cup — her first time leading the side at a major ICC tournament.
How did Ireland Women qualify for the T20 World Cup 2026?
Ireland qualified through the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Global Qualifier in Nepal, where Gaby Lewis was the tournament's top run-scorer with 276 runs across seven innings.
Which group are the Irish women in at the T20 World Cup 2026?
Ireland is in Group 2 alongside England, New Zealand, West Indies, Sri Lanka, and Scotland.
When is Ireland Women's first match at the 2026 T20 World Cup?
Ireland will play their opening match against Scotland at Old Trafford, Manchester, on June 13 2026.
Who are the five new faces in Ireland's T20 World Cup 2026 squad?
Ava Canning, Christina Coulter Reilly, Alana Dalzell, Aimee Maguire, and Lara McBride will all be appearing at a Women's T20 World Cup for the first time.
Is Laura Delany close to a record at the 2026 T20 World Cup?
Yes. Laura Delany is on the verge of becoming the first Irish women's player to take 100 T20I wickets — a historic milestone she could achieve during this tournament.
What is Ireland Women's ICC T20I ranking in 2026?
Ireland Women are ranked 9th in the world in T20I cricket ahead of the 2026 tournament.