ETPL key to Ireland's next leap after landmark win over India, says CI chief

Cricket Ireland has been buoyed by the team's stunning upset win over India, the world's No. 1-ranked T20I side and reigning world champions. The board has now set itself bigger goals.

"Well, it's obviously our first victory against India, so that's a very, very significant milestone. It's something I wouldn't underestimate in terms of the lift in confidence it gives everybody. It also showcases the talent that we have," CI Chair Brian MacNeice told Cricbuzz.

"Our target is to qualify for all ICC competitions, both men's and women's. We don't just want to qualify – we want to be able to compete when we're there. That requires us to play more cricket, more consistently, at a higher level. That's why the European T20 Premier League (ETPL) is so important. It gives our players the opportunity to compete at a higher standard, so that when they do play in ICC World Cup events, they're ready to compete."

After Ireland became a Full Member nation of the ICC, the England and Wales Cricket Board stopped allowing Irish cricketers to compete as domestic players in county cricket. They are now classified as overseas players. MacNeice believes the ETPL will provide the kind of opportunities Irish players now need.

"It's up to us to find solutions to make that happen. The ETPL is one part of how we plan to do that. What it does is provide additional, high-level competitive cricket for them to play and continue developing as professional cricketers."

The CI chief explained why the ETPL came about. "For two primary reasons. First, we know there is a demand for top-level cricket right across Europe. Second, we want our players to play against the best in the world as often as possible. It's the perfect platform to achieve both objectives."

He also said there is more to European cricket than England cricket. "On a whole host of different dimensions. In terms of the player talent pool across Europe, you've seen in recent ICC events that Irish, Scottish, Dutch and Italian players have shown they're more than capable of going toe-to-toe with some of the best countries in the world."