Cricket Ireland have unveiled their summer schedule of home games, with South Africa arriving here in July for a six-game series, split between One-Day and T20 internationals.
Malahaide will host the three ODIs, which also count towards World Cup qualification, on July 11th, 13th and 16th, and the first of the T20 encounters on July 20th. The final two games in the series will take place at Stormont in Belfast on July 22nd and July 25th.
The African theme will continue in August, with Zimbabwe travelling to Belfast for three World Cup qualifying ODIs before a three-match T20 series takes place at Bready in the north west.
In total, Ireland will play nine World Cup qualifiers, with a three-match series taking place away to the Netherlands at the beginning of June.
Cricket Ireland are also in talks with both the Pakistan Cricket Board and England & Wales Cricket Board about playing two T20 internationals against Pakistan, who tour England this summer.
Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom said in a statement: “The year 2021 is certainly full of optimism, but of course we can’t ignore the great uncertainties still in the world, and our planning is trying to factor that in as much as possible.
“We need to plan for matches to proceed but with the background knowledge that circumstances might see further postponements.”
