Ireland star all-rounder Laura Delany has been ruled out of the upcoming Women's T20I World Cup and the preceding T20I tri-series, including Pakistan and West Indies, owing to injury. Following the massive setback, Ireland have brought in Alice Tector as her replacement. Notably, Tector has represented Ireland in five ODIs after making her debut against Sri Lanka in 2024.
However, she has not featured in T20Is for Ireland. The crushing setback will surely jolt Ireland, given Delany's vast experience, having appeared in 132 matches and scored 1659 runs. She has also claimed 96 wickets.
"We are all devastated for Laura - she's one of the toughest competitors that has ever played for Ireland Women and we wish her well with her recovery. Alice herself has had to deal with injuries over the last 12 months, but has shown a great temperament since returning to play in 2026," Graeme West, Director of High Performance at Cricket Ireland said in a statement.
Ireland's T20I World Cup 2026 squad: Gaby Lewis (c), Orla Prendergast (vc), Ava Canning, Christina Coulter Reilly, Alana Dalzell, Georgina Dempsey, Amy Hunter, Arlene Kelly, Louise Little, Aimee Maguire, Lara McBride, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Rebecca Stokell, Alice Tector