Galle to host inaugural Sri Lanka-Ireland Test and series

Sri Lanka and Ireland have met only at white ball cricket

The Galle International Cricket Stadium will be the venue for the inaugural Test and series between Sri Lanka and Ireland next month.

Ireland is due to arrive on 9 April to play Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series (which is not part of the ICC World Test Championship) that will be played at Galle.

The first Test will take place from 15-20 April and the second Test from 24-28 April.

Since gaining full membership of the ICC in June 2017, Ireland has played only a handful of Test matches – three, against Pakistan, Afghanistan and England, all of which they have lost.

This is the first time Ireland will be playing a Test match series. They have not played a Test since meeting England in 2019.

Initially, Ireland was to play Sri Lanka in a one-off Test and also in two ODIs, but following mutual discussions between the two cricket boards, Sri Lanka Cricket and Cricket Ireland they decided to forgo the two ODIs for an additional Test match.

This will be some consolation for Sri Lanka’s Test cricketers who have been starved of matches as they were due to play only five Tests for the entire calendar year 2023. With this additional Test there will be six.

Sri Lanka and Ireland have met only at white ball cricket – 4 ODIs and 3 T20Is, all of which Ireland has lost. - (ST)