Ireland aiming high at ICC Women's Emerging Nations Trophy
Amy Hunter expects Ireland to perform well at the upcoming T20I event in the UAE.
The absence of star all-rounder Orla Prendergast has done nothing to dampen the hopes of Ireland at the upcoming ICC Women's Emerging Nations Trophy in the UAE.
Ireland will be without the services of Prendergast for the 10-team tournament that commences on Thursday, with the No.5 ranked T20I all-rounder in Australia plying her trade with the Brisbane Heat in the Women's Big Bash League.
The absence of Prendergast has opened up opportunities for a variety of inexperienced players, with Ireland calling up the likes of Abbi Harrison and Zara Craig on the back of strong performances at recent editions of the ICC Women's Under-19 T20 World Cup.
Abbi Harrison takes a stunning catch behind the stumps | U19WC2025
It has also paved the way for Amy Hunter to take up the vice-captaincy role for the tournament and provide support for regular skipper Gaby Lewis and the keeper-batter has high hopes for her side during the tournament.
“It is a relatively inexperienced squad but that presents some pretty cool opportunities," Hunter told Cricket Ireland.
"I think to be able to call on the likes of Laura Delany and Lara Maritz into the team, it demonstrates the depth that we have.
"We also have some possible debutants as well. So it just presents opportunities to different players to perform under pressure and really put their hands up in future to get their name on the shirt.
"In terms of goals, I don’t think that really ever changes for us as a team. Every game we go into, we look to compete as best we can and ultimately win, so that will still be our goal for this tournament."
Amy Hunter dispatches it for six | Women's T20WC 2026
Amy Hunter strikes it sweetly and sends it over the ropes for six against West Indies at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Ireland are drawn in Group A at the Women's Emerging Nations Trophy event and will take on Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Scotland and UAE with the aim of finishing in the top three spots in their group and qualifying for the Super Six phase of the event.
The tournament will also provide Hunter with her first opportunity to feature in the shortest format at international level since she played five matches for Ireland at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup earlier this year.
“I can’t wait to get going again in T20 cricket," Hunter noted.
"We’ve had a bit of a break from it now, since the (T20) World Cup in June.
"It felt like we played a lot of it in the run up to that tournament but afterwards, we had a pretty heavy One-Day cricket summer, so it will be good to get going again.
"We had a big win against the West Indies in that last game of the (T20) World Cup, so hopefully we can carry that momentum into the Emerging Nations.”
Ireland will commence their Emerging Nations Trophy campaign against Sri Lanka on the opening day of the tournament on Thursday 12 November.
Ireland squad: Gaby Lewis (c), Zara Craig, Alana Dalzell, Laura Delany, Georgina Dempsey, Abbi Harrison, Amy Hunter, Louise Little, Aimee Maguire, Jane Maguire, Lara Maritz, Lara McBride, Kia McCartney, Cara Murray