Ireland Women have confirmed their squad for next week’s one-day international series against West Indies Women, with the three-match contest at Bready marking the start of a crucial new ICC Women’s Championship cycle. For Irish cricket fans following Ireland cricket news and broader European cricket news, this is one of the most important women’s fixtures of the summer, even as interest in ETPL and ETPL news continues to grow across the region.
The squad will be led by captain Gaby Lewis, while Orla Prendergast has been named vice-captain. The series is especially significant because it opens Ireland’s pathway in the ICC Women’s Championship 2025–2029, the competition that will decide most qualification places for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2029.
Ireland Women squad named ahead of Bready ODI series
Cricket Ireland has selected a 15-player group for the West Indies ODI series. The squad blends experience with emerging talent and gives Ireland a strong base for the opening chapter of this World Cup qualification campaign.
- Gaby Lewis (captain)
- 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 (vice-captain)
- Rebecca Stokell
The announcement will interest readers tracking cricket in Ireland, T20 cricket Ireland, and the wider development of the women’s game. While ETPL cricket, ETPL fixtures and ETPL schedule are hot search topics, Ireland’s international calendar remains a major driver of traffic and fan attention.
Series schedule and match details
All three matches will be played at Bready, with each game starting at 10:45am local time.
- 10 July 2026: Ireland Women vs West Indies Women – 1st ODI
- 12 July 2026: Ireland Women vs West Indies Women – 2nd ODI
- 15 July 2026: Ireland Women vs West Indies Women – 3rd ODI
Supporters searching for tickets can purchase them through Cricket Ireland’s official platform. The series is expected to draw strong interest from fans looking for international action in Ireland, particularly after Ireland Women’s recent six-wicket win over West Indies in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
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Why this series matters in the ICC Women’s Championship
This ODI series is more than a bilateral contest. It is Ireland’s first assignment in the 2025–2029 ICC Women’s Championship, where 11 Full Member nations compete for direct qualification to the 2029 Women’s Cricket World Cup.
How the format works
Each team plays eight ODI series in the cycle:
- Four at home
- Four away
- Three matches per series
That means every side will play 24 ODIs before the qualification cut-off date on 28 February 2029.
Ireland’s home and away programme
Ireland’s home series in this cycle are against India, New Zealand, Pakistan and West Indies. Away from home, they will face England, Australia, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka. Every point will matter, especially for teams aiming to avoid the qualification tournament.
Points system explained
- Win: 2 points
- Tie, no result or abandoned match: 1 point
- Loss: 0 points
If teams finish level on points, ranking is decided by number of wins, net run rate and head-to-head records before any final seeding criteria are applied. Fans who regularly follow ETPL results, ETPL points table and ETPL standings will recognise a similar importance placed on consistency and NRR across a long tournament cycle.
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World Cup qualification stakes for Ireland
The 2029 Women’s Cricket World Cup will feature 10 teams. Eight places will be filled automatically by the host nation, if eligible, plus the next highest-ranked sides in the final championship standings. The remaining spots will be determined through a six-team qualifier.
For Ireland, a strong start against West Indies could set the tone for the full cycle. Opening series results often shape confidence, momentum and the early table picture. That is why this squad announcement is a key moment for supporters following Ireland Women and also readers who land on Irish cricket pages through ETPL searches, ETPL latest updates and ETPL live score trends.
What to watch in the Bready ODIs
Ireland enter the series with belief after beating West Indies at the recent T20 World Cup. The challenge now is to translate that confidence into the 50-over format, where patience, batting depth and disciplined bowling spells become even more important.
Players such as Gaby Lewis, Amy Hunter and Orla Prendergast will likely be central to Ireland’s hopes, while the bowling unit will need to make early breakthroughs and manage the middle overs effectively.
In summary, this series is a major checkpoint for Ireland Women and an important story in Ireland cricket news. Even with ETPL attracting major online interest, this international contest deserves close attention because it launches Ireland’s road to the 2029 World Cup. If Ireland can begin the campaign well at Bready, the squad announcement could soon be remembered as the first step in a significant qualification push.
