Ireland have become the third team to make the cut for the 2026 women’s T20 World Cup from the qualifier in Nepal, joining Bangladesh and Netherlands in the marquee event to be played in England and Wales in June-July. One of Scotland and USA, who are playing the last game of the qualifying competition, will join them at the World Cup to complete the line-up of 12 teams.
Playing Thailand on the last day of the qualifiers, Ireland batted first and scored 121 for 8. Not a massive total, but Thailand had topped the mark only twice before in the tournament. Sunday wasn’t going to be the third time. In fact, Thailand had their worst day out with the bat in the tournament, collapsing for just 59 in 16.1 overs, giving Ireland a 62-run win.
After Gaby Lewis won the toss and batted, the Ireland top three of Amy Hunter (24 in 15 balls), Lewis (25 in 30), and Orla Prendergast (24 in 22) all got starts and Ireland were at a solid 71 by the end of the tenth over. But by the 12th over, all three experienced batters were gone, and Ireland had only two other batters getting into double-digits – Louise Little, who scored 14 in 18 balls from No. 7, and Jane Maguire, who got 15 not out in 12 balls from No. 9.
Legspinner Suleeporn Laomi took 4 for 24 for Thailand.
The 121 proved well beyond Thailand on the day. It was a series of single-digit scores for them, broken up only by the wicketkeeper-batter Nannapat Koncharoenkai and captain Naruemol Chaiwai, who scored 15 and 22 respectively and added 26 for the third wicket. There was next to nothing before and after them.
Arlene Kelly‘s medium pace earned her 4 for 7 from four overs, while offspinner Lara McBride took 3 for 6, finishing the game in her fourth over.