Andy McBrine dropped from Ireland's T20 World Cup squad; Simi Singh included

Ireland have dropped offspinner Andy McBrine from their T20 World Cup squad, and brought in Simi Singh in place of him. While the rest of the 15-member squad wears a largely familiar look, there are also some new and inexperienced names.

These include opening batter Stephen Doheny, who is yet to play a T20I; pace-bowling allrounder Fionn Hand, who made his T20I debut last month against Afghanistan; and medium-pace bowler Conor Olphert, who has played only two T20Is so far.

McBrine, who has featured in 32 T20Is, was left out of Ireland's side after the first two games of the five-match series against Afghanistan in August, which was the last time they played the format. He has conceded runs at an economy rate of 10.53 in his last seven T20Is, and got only three wickets.

Ireland have lost ten - and won just three - of the last 13 T20Is they have played, including losing all five T20Is to India and New Zealand during their home summer. All three of those wins came against Afghanistan in a 3-2 series win. Having lost to Sri Lanka and Namibia in the qualifying matches of the T20 World Cup in 2021, Ireland failed to make the main round last year.

This time, Ireland play Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Namibia in Group B of the qualifying matches, from where the top-two teams - and two others from Group A - will progress to the main event.

Squad: Andrew Balbirnie (capt), Paul Stirling (vice-capt), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Fionn Hand, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Conor Olphert, Simi Singh, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Craig Young