Ireland’s Head Coach Extends Contract Until 2027
Heinrich Malan, Ireland’s head coach, has agreed to extend his contract until mid-2027. The decision aligns with the strategic planning for the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
Under Malan’s extended leadership, the primary focus will be to secure Ireland’s qualification for the prestigious tournament, scheduled to be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
Malan, 43, assumed the role of head coach for the Ireland Men’s team in March 2022 with a three-year contract. During his tenure, Ireland qualified for the 2022 and 2024 T20 World Cup, but missed out on the 2023 Cricket World Cup due to a loss in the ICC World Cup qualifiers.
Depth is building for Ireland | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022
Prior to departing with his team for the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA, Malan expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming three years and outlined his vision for developing Ireland across all three formats.
“I am delighted with the extension as it provides the squad and coaching staff a great deal more certainty as we build upon the foundations we have put in place over the last two years,” said Malan.
“We are now a three-format squad and – despite our smaller talent pool compared to other Full Members – we have been gradually building a sustainable structure that ensures we can continue to compete and improve on all three fronts,” he added.
Match highlights of Ireland securing a famous victory over England with a five-run DLS method win in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022.
Malan discussed his aim to foster a better game sense in the team and create an environment where his players can play with confidence and freedom.
“One area I have been keen on developing is our players being able to better read the game situation and then, where they judge it appropriate, to have the freedom and confidence to try and impose their style and natural instincts on the game,” Malan explained.
“Some of our younger players are literally learning this ability on the job, which means there are days they will fail, but failure is a key part of the learning process. What we as coaches are looking for is evidence that those unsuccessful experiences are analysed and understood by the player and become part of the experience they can draw upon in future matches,” he continued.
“This work has borne fruit in two successful T20 World Cup qualifying campaigns and in our recent Test success. But we are all conscious that we’ve missed out on playing in the last two 50-over world cups, and qualification for the 2027 tournament will be one of the focus areas across the next three years,” Malan concluded.
Limited tickets remain available for all matches in New York, including access to the Premium Club and the exclusive Diamond Club, where fans can rub shoulders with the legends of the game in the best seats in the house. Watch India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Bangladesh, Canada, Ireland and our hosts USA and be part of history at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium. Visit tickets.t20worldcup.com to get your tickets.
‘Out of this World’ by Sean Paul and Kes: The official ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 anthem