In what their chief executive Warren Deutrom described as a "creative" way of overcoming "current infrastructure constraints", Ireland will play a "home" white-ball series against South Africa in Abu Dhabi later this year. They will also host a home men's Test for the second time in their history in July. They will play Zimbabwe at Stormont.
Ireland became a full member in 2017 and played their first men's Test at Malahide, near Dublin, in 2018. However, they do not have a permanent home stadium and the high cost of temporary infrastructure has meant that their six subsequent men's Tests have been played overseas. This included their maiden victory over Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi earlier this year.
This summer they will play a one-off Test against Zimbabwe at the Civil Service Ground in Stormont, Belfast from 25-29 July. But financial and logistical obstacles mean the six white-ball matches on that tour - three ODIs and three T20Is - are "not going ahead as things stand", a Cricket Ireland spokesman told ESPNcricinfo.
South Africa was originally scheduled to tour Ireland for three ODIs and three T20Is in July, but will instead play two ODIs and three T20Is in Abu Dhabi from the end of September. After Cricket Ireland moved two T20Is to Bristol in England in 2022, this is the second consecutive away series against Ireland that South Africa will play on neutral ground.
Deutrom said:
"This fixture schedule attempts to strike a balance of competitive, high-quality cricket across multiple formats whilst addressing the challenges we face with respect to our current infrastructure constraints. While we work on longer-term solutions for some of these challenges - most notably continuing to advocate to the Government for the proposed permanent stadium - we know we'll have to explore ways to creatively increase our capacity to host an ever-increasing schedule in the short term.”
Earlier in the day Deutrom confirmed that Australia's planned tour of Ireland for three ODIs and a T20I had been postponed indefinitely. Of the 20 men's home Tests in the Future Tours programme for this summer, only four will actually be played in Ireland - the Zimbabwe Test and three T20Is against Pakistan next month - while 11 have either been cancelled or rescheduled.
Ireland will also be the venue for England's first tour of the country in the professional era, as they host the women's team for the first time since 1995. Laura Delany's side is currently in the United Arab Emirates ahead of a global T20 World Cup qualifier in Bangladesh in October and will face Sri Lanka in August before taking on England in September.
Ireland's new 'home' fixtures
Men's:
July 25-29 - Test match vs Zimbabwe (Stormont)
September 27, 29 - T20Is vs South Africa (Abu Dhabi)
October 2, 4, 7 - ODIs vs South Africa (Abu Dhabi)
Women's:
August 11, 13 - T20Is vs Sri Lanka (Pembroke)
August 16, 18, 20 - ICC Women's Championship ODIs vs Sri Lanka (Stormont)
September 7, 9, 11 - ICC Women's Championship ODIs vs England (Stormont)
September 14, 16, 17 - T20Is vs England (Clontarf)