Ireland captain Andrew Balbirnie has described this summer’s international fixture list as the “perfect preparation” for the T20 World Cup.

Balbirnie was among the who’s who of Irish cricket in Dublin yesterday as Cricket Ireland launched their ‘Season of the Stars’, with 15 men’s matches and 12 Women’s internationals, in the busiest ever summer.

India, the world’s leading men’s T20 side, New Zealand and Afghanistan will all be in Ireland, who will also play South Africa in two games in Bristol.

“Having high-quality T20 cricket going into the World Cup is great,” said Balbirnie. “India, New Zealand, South Africa and Afghanistan is perfect prep and we’ll have a good idea of where we are at as a squad and a team going into the World Cup.

"It will also be great to have spectators back, without restrictions. We have missed them in the last couple of years and even here today, it’s great to see people again, to talk in person rather than on computer screens.

“We played (against England) in Bristol in 2017, it’s a lovely place to play cricket, and after those games it’s back to Belfast and straight into the Afghanistan series. But it will be full on once the India series starts but, meantime, there are plenty of inter-pro games and the boys are looking forward to working with the new coach and then a chance to showcase their skills on the world stage.”

The new coach, Heinrich Malan, was also in attendance at the launch just a couple of days after arriving from South Africa and he is looking forward to watching the inter-pros and meeting up with the contracted players.

“It’s a good opportunity to see cricket and get to know the players over the next few weeks,” said Malan. “I was with the Wolves in Namibia last month and that was good to have time with a wider squad of players and with the staff.”

The major announcement at the launch was a five-year broadcast deal for all home men’s and women’s internationals, while confirmation that the men’s series against India and the women’s matches against Australia in Bready will be televised is expected shortly.

Women’s head coach Ed Joyce and captain Laura Delany were also present just hours after returning from a week’s camp in La Manga, which was attended by all 19 squad members.

“We want to play competitive cricket and Laura’s and my job is to make sure the squad is ambitious but realistic,” said Joyce.

“It’s just six weeks before the South Africans arrive and then we have the tri-series against Australia and Pakistan in July. There could be some tough days and with a lot of teenagers in the squad, we have to keep them on track and make sure those days don’t derail the team.”