Ireland have announced their 14-player squad for the three-match Women’s ODI series against West Indies in Bready from 10–15 July 2026, a fixture that doubles as the start of their ICC Women’s Championship cycle.
Led by skipper Gaby Lewis with Orla Prendergast appointed vice-captain, the selection rewards players who impressed during a memorable ICC Women’s T20 World Cup campaign and blends youth with more established international performers as Ireland seek to build momentum after their historic tournament breakthrough.
Ireland Women’s Cricket Team
Gaby Lewis (C), Christina Coulter Reilly, Alana Dalzell, Sarah Forbes, Amy Hunter, Arlene Kelly, Louise Little, Aimee Maguire, Jane Maguire, Kia McCartney, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast (VC), Rebecca Stokell
Several names are fresh from strong showings in England, where Ireland made their fifth T20 World Cup appearance (their first came in 2014) and recorded the country’s maiden victory in the tournament, a six-wicket win over the West Indies at the County Ground, Bristol, on 27 June 2026.
That landmark win will linger as both a confidence-booster and a tactical reference point for the home series. Orla Prendergast continues as vice-captain, having finished the T20 World Cup as Ireland’s leading run-scorer with 181 runs from five innings at a strike rate of 125.69 and an average of 36.20, including two fifties.
Her all-round value was underlined in the bowling department as well: Prendergast ended as joint-highest wicket-taker for Ireland alongside Aimee Maguire, claiming six wickets at an average of 20.33 and an economy of 6.10 across five matches. Those dual contributions make her an obvious tactical fulcrum for Ireland in the 50-over format.
Gaby Lewis will captain a side that mixes steady top-order options and dynamic all-rounders. Leah Paul and Rebecca Stokell provide experience and the ability to rotate the innings, while Amy Hunter and Christina Coulter Reilly bring aggressive intent at the top.
The West Indies arrive in Bready having carried strong momentum from the T20 World Cup, where they were one of the semi-finalists before falling to Australia on 30 June 2026. That pedigree means Ireland cannot afford complacency; the ODI series will test Ireland’s ability to stretch their T20 form into the longer white-ball discipline, where innings-building and sustained bowling spells take on greater importance.
Beyond the immediate contest, these three ODIs kick off Ireland’s journey in the ICC Women’s Championship, an avenue to direct qualification for future 50-over global events. For Ireland, strong performances here would do more than secure points; they would validate the team’s development pathway and reward the blend of youth and experience that selectors have put forward.
Home conditions in Bready typically favour disciplined seam bowling and batters who can rotate strike on pitches that may offer movement early on. Ireland’s selection appears mindful of those conditions, packing seam options and multi-skilled players capable of contributing with both bat and ball.
With Lewis’s leadership, Prendergast’s all-round form, and a squad buoyed by the confidence of a first-ever T20 World Cup victory, Ireland will enter the series believing they can push a talented West Indies side and make a strong start to the Championship campaign.
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