After being thumped by Afghanistan in a three-match ODI series, the Ireland cricket team was set to tour Zimbabwe for a limited over series in April.

However, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced Cricket Ireland to postpone the side's white-ball tour to Zimbabwe. The decision was taken after Zimbabwe Cricket officials advised Cricket Ireland that the tour cannot proceed at present due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation in Zimbabwe.

Ireland’s squad was set to fly to Harare, Zimbabwe on March 28 and play a three-match T20I series, followed by a three-match ODI series in April. Zimbabwe Cricket and Cricket Ireland have now agreed to reschedule the tour for a later date.

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Weighing on the same, high-performance director for Cricket Ireland Richard Holdsworth said that they are disappointed and added that the health and safety of players and support staff must be a primary consideration. 

"We're obviously disappointed, but to be honest, it is not an unexpected announcement from our Zimbabwean counterparts. We appreciate their efforts and willingness to try and make the tour possible, but in the end, the health and safety of players and support staff must be of primary consideration," Richard Holdsworth said in an official statement.

Holdsworth further said that Cricket Ireland will look at alternate fixtures and added that it makes the upcoming tour of Ireland Wolves even more important for the development of younger players.

"We'll now look at whether alternate fixtures can be arranged during that period, which is a crucial window in advance of a busy home season and in a T20 World Cup year.

“This places even greater importance on the proposed Ireland Wolves tour in February/March given the need to provide many of our players the volume and quality of cricket we need to keep the momentum in player development we have been seeing over the last few years. We expect to be providing an update on the Wolves situation in the coming days," he concluded. 

(ANI Inputs)