Ireland Predicted Playing XI vs New Zealand- Only Test, NZ Tour Of IRE 2026

Ireland predicted XI vs New Zealand for one-off Test [Source: AFP]

International cricket will return for Ireland and New Zealand on Wednesday, as the two teams take on each other in a one-off Test in Belfast from May 27 to May 30.

This is also the first time since September 2025 that Ireland hosts an international match, with a fairly long home season scheduled. The full-strength New Zealand will treat this as a preparatory match ahead of their exciting tour of England in June.

The senior Irish batter, Paul Stirling, is set to miss this match due to another injury setback. Having returned to the field for the first time since his knee ligament injury in the T20 World Cup, he sustained a calf injury during the Emerald Challenge and did not bat in that match either.

As the Irish eye their first Test win since February 2025 and upset the Kiwis days before their all-important series, we take a look at their predicted playing XI for the match.

Ireland Playing XI vs New Zealand – Only Test, NZ tour of IRE

Top-order: Andy Balbirnie (c), Jake Egam, Cade Carmichael

Andy Balbirnie will lead the team, having scored 548 runs in 12 Tests so far, with five fifties to his name. Paul Stirling is unavailable due to calf issues, so the 22-year-old Jake Egan looks set to make his Test debut, opening with his skipper after his impressive 120 off 216 in the Emerald Challenge 2026 game, while opening for the Strikers.

While Stephen Doheny could have been an option, he managed only 27 and 15 in the Raiders’ Emerald Challenge loss, which was a preparatory first-class game played between the best players in Ireland.

Cade Carmichael batted at number 3 during Ireland’s tour of Bangladesh and scored 59 on debut, helping him retain his spot. He has an FC average of 32.66 in 8 matches, scoring three fifties and a century.

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Middle-order and All-rounders: Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Andrew McBrine, Mark Adair

The Irish have a long middle order, which begins with Harry Tector, who has 5 fifties in 9 Test matches, closing in on 500 runs.

As announced by the Ireland coach, Curtis Campher will play solely as a batter in this match. In Ireland’s last Test, he scored a 71 off a whopping 259 balls, showing his class in red-ball cricket. Tector also got 50 in their failed attempt to chase down 509 in Bangladesh.

At number 6 will be Ireland’s leading run-scorer in Tests — wicketkeeper Lorcan Tucker. He has scored 703 runs in 9 matches, including four fifties and a hundred and averages 43.93, making him an automatic starter. He will be followed by the experienced Andy McBrine, who has 581 runs in 11 innings, scoring five fifties and 33 wickets with off-break bowling.

The long batting lineup will end with Mark Adair, who has a healthy batting FC average of 30.22 for 816 runs and has picked 49 FC wickets so far. He brings experience of playing for Warwickshire in England.

Bowlers: Matthew Humphreys, Thomas Mayes/Reuben Wilson, Craig Young

The lead spinner of this bowling attack will be left-arm orthodox, Matthew Humphreys. In 5 Tests played, he has picked 15 wickets at an economy of just over 3.30 with two five-wicket hauls to his name. He is known for keeping things tight, which also helps other bowlers thrive from the other end.

In the Emerald Challenge, he was also the captain of the Strikers, and with leg-spinner Gavin Hoey out injured, Humphreys becomes the automatic first-choice spinner.

Barry McCarthy’s knee ligament injury has opened up a spot for a potential debut for either Thomas Mayes or Reuben Wilson. Mayes has played 5 FC games, picking 28 wickets at an average of 20 and a strike rate of just 29.8 with two five-fers and three four-fers. Wilson, on the other hand, is a 19-year-old prospect who picked 3 wickets for the Raiders last week.

Craig Young will be the first-change pacer, who has previously played 4 Test matches and picked 8 wickets. He is another experienced campaigner who will play an important role in McCarthy’s absence from the team.

Notably, Josh Little is also absent from the Ireland squad due to a rib injury, which makes Young an automatic starter.

Ireland Playing XI vs New Zealand, 1st Test- Andy Balbirnie (c), Jake Egam, Cade Carmichael, Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Andrew McBrine, Mark Adair, Matthew Humphreys, Thomas Mayes/Reuben Wilson, Craig Young.

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