Ireland Name Uncapped Duo Zara Craig and Abbi Harrison for Expanded ICC Emerging Nations Trophy in United Arab Emirates

Key Points

• Cricket Ireland has selected uncapped players Zara Craig and Abbi Harrison in its 14-player squad for the upcoming ICC Emerging Nations Trophy T20 tournament.
• Twenty-five-year-old seam bowling all-rounder Lara Maritz earns a call-up to international duty five years after her last appearance for Ireland in 2021.
• Regular captain Gaby Lewis will lead the national side in the United Arab Emirates, with wicketkeeper-batter Amy Hunter serving as vice-captain.
• Key all-rounder Orla Prendergast misses the tournament after being granted permission to participate in Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL).
• Squad member Rebecca Stokell is serving a voluntary suspension following an inadvertent reporting breach regarding prescription medication, while Leah Paul requested to be unavailable and Christina Coulter Reilly misses out through injury.
• The newly expanded 10-team T20 tournament, featuring five Full Member nations and five Associate nations, takes place in the UAE from 12 to 25 November.

Ireland (Ireland Now News) November 6, 2026 – Cricket Ireland has named uncapped players Zara Craig and Abbi Harrison in a 14-strong squad for the upcoming ICC Emerging Nations Trophy tournament in the United Arab Emirates, while recalling seam-bowling all-rounder Lara Maritz after a five-year absence from international competition. Announced on Friday, 6 November 2026, the selection sees Gaby Lewis captaining the national side, with Amy Hunter stepping into the vice-captaincy role. The newly expanded 10-team Twenty20 competition runs from 12 to 25 November, serving as a critical stepping stone for nations targeting entry into the top six ranked women’s teams globally ahead of the 2028 T20 World Cup.

Who Are the New Faces and Recalls in Ireland’s 14-Player T20 Squad?

As reported by sports correspondents across Irish cricket media and international news outlets, Cricket Ireland selectors have integrated both youth development talent and experienced international figures into the travelling party.

Uncapped 23-year-old seam bowling all-rounder Zara Craig, who represents Eglinton and Phoenix, earns her first senior call-up. Craig previously featured in Ireland’s talent pathway and was part of the squad at the 2023 ICC Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup. Joining her as an uncapped inclusion is 20-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Abbi Harrison of Waringstown, who represented Ireland across both the 2023 and 2025 Under-19 T20 World Cup campaigns.

The tournament also marks the international return of 25-year-old all-rounder Lara Maritz. Having made her international debut in 2017 and earned 43 caps for Ireland, Maritz returns to the national setup for the first time since 2021. Additionally, Kia McCartney—who has earned five One-Day International (ODI) caps—retains her place in the squad as she seeks to make her official Twenty20 International (T20I) debut.

The complete 14-player squad includes:

• Gaby Lewis (Captain)
• Amy Hunter (Vice-Captain)
• Zara Craig
• Alana Dalzell
• Laura Delany
• Georgina Dempsey
• Abbi Harrison
• Louise Little
• Aimee Maguire
• Jane Maguire
• Lara Maritz
• Lara McBride
• Kia McCartney
• Cara Murray

Why Are Key Senior Players Missing from the Emerging Nations Trophy?

According to statements released by Cricket Ireland, several established international players will not participate in the United Arab Emirates campaign due to overseas franchise commitments, voluntary suspensions, and medical recoveries.

Key all-rounder Orla Prendergast was granted permission by Cricket Ireland management to skip the tournament to participate in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) in Australia. Meanwhile, batter Rebecca Stokell is currently serving a self-assessed “voluntary suspension” after accepting responsibility for an inadvertent administrative breach of reporting requirements relating to prescribed therapeutic medication.

Among other squad absences, all-rounder Leah Paul formally requested to make herself unavailable for selection for this specific event, while Christina Coulter Reilly remains sidelined as she recovers from an injury sustained during domestic competition.

What Is the Format and Schedule for the ICC Emerging Nations Trophy in the UAE?

As detailed in competition guidelines published by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and reported by national sports editors, the Emerging Nations Trophy has undergone structural expansion for its upcoming edition.

The tournament previously featured exclusively Associate Member countries, with Thailand claiming the title in the inaugural edition. The updated 2026 format expands the field to 10 countries, bringing together five ICC Full Member nations alongside five Associate nations in a competitive round-robin and knockout structure.

Staged across venues in the United Arab Emirates from 12 to 25 November 2026, Ireland has been drawn in Group A. The Irish side will commence their campaign against Sri Lanka on 12 November, followed by fixture encounters against Papua New Guinea, the host nation UAE, and European rivals Scotland.

Outlining the strategic value of the event, Graeme West, Director of High Performance at Cricket Ireland, stated: “With no International cricket scheduled until March next year, the timing of the Emerging Nations Trophy provides our Performance Squad with the perfect opportunity to put the learning from the training programmes that have taken place over the last six weeks into high level competition.”

Graeme West further emphasized the long-term importance of the tournament structure, stating: “The tournament itself offers our squad the opportunity to take on sides that share a similar goal of entering the top six ranked teams in the world, making for a very competitive event – just what we need as we build towards the next T20 World Cup in 2028.”

Background of the Particular Development After the News

The expanded ICC Emerging Nations Trophy represents a strategic effort by global cricket governing bodies to bridge the performance gap between top-tier Full Member nations and rising Associate programs. For Ireland, which secured full ICC membership status alongside Afghanistan in 2017, expanding international exposure for domestic talent has remained a central high-performance priority. Over recent seasons, the Irish women’s program has undergone structural professionalization, introducing full-time central contracts, retainer agreements, and enhanced elite pathway funding to match established global standards.

However, managing player workloads and franchise availability has become a modern operational requirement for national governing bodies. Orla Prendergast’s release to play in Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League reflects Cricket Ireland’s policy of allowing elite players to gain experience in foreign franchise leagues. Concurrently, strict anti-doping and therapeutic use exemption (TUE) reporting protocols under WADA and ICC guidelines mean that inadvertent administrative oversights regarding prescription health treatments lead to temporary voluntary suspensions, such as the one currently being served by Rebecca Stokell.

How This Development Can Affect Emerging Players, Domestic Pathways, and National Strategy

The selection of a mixed-experience squad and participation in the expanded UAE tournament will generate direct outcomes for domestic pathway athletes, national team depth, and long-term World Cup qualification targets.

Impact on Uncapped Players and Pathways Talent

For emerging players such as Zara Craig and Abbi Harrison, the tournament provides immediate exposure to high-pressure international match conditions. Successfully stepping up from Under-19 World Cup environments into senior international cricket validates Cricket Ireland’s talent pathway, encouraging domestic clubs like Eglinton, Phoenix, and Waringstown to continue investing in youth coaching and elite preparation.

Impact on Ireland’s T20 World Cup 2028 Preparation

For high-performance leadership and team management, competing against diverse playing styles from Sri Lanka, Scotland, and emerging Associate teams provides essential tactical data. With no further international fixtures scheduled until March 2027, coaches can test bench strength, evaluate Lara Maritz’s seam-bowling integration after five years away, and assess leadership pairings under Gaby Lewis and Amy Hunter. Building squad depth is vital for Ireland’s ambition to break into the top six of the ICC T20 team rankings ahead of the 2028 T20 World Cup.

Impact on Player Management and Overseas Franchise Integration

For Cricket Ireland’s administration, balancing national team duty with commercial franchise opportunities like the WBBL creates a precedent for athlete retention and professional development. Successfully managing player availability allows Irish stars to gain top-tier franchise experience while creating regular squad openings for fringe players to gain senior international caps.