On this May, Ireland will play their first ever Test match. Since then, they will gradually face an increasing number of top-class competitive international cricket matches on their home venues. So Cricket Ireland have now decided to build a permanent cricket stadium in the country.

Their initial plan was to redevelop the Malahide Cricket Club Ground, currently known as The Village, which has hosted most of their recent home matches including their upcoming debutant Test match against Pakistan. But, now the Cricket Ireland is dropping that plan and thinking about to build a new permanent cricket stadium in West Dublin.

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Till the date, Cricket Ireland has provided total four stadiums in international cricket. These are Civil Service Cricket Club (Stormont, Belfast), Castle Avenue (Dublin), The Village (Malahide, Dublin) and Bready Cricket Club (Magheramason, Bready).

But now, they are looking for a new cricket stadium with a better playing and training facilities.

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Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom released a statement on Wednesday, where he stated, “Cricket in Ireland is entering an exciting new phase, as we begin to understand more and more the implications and obligations of becoming an ICC full member. We anticipate that the new Future Tours Programme (FTP) will be finalised by the ICC in April this year. It is likely to involve the senior men alone playing about 60 home matches over the next five seasons.

“What has become abundantly clear to the board is that this dramatic increase in our home schedule means that we will need to share the load beyond our four existing international-standard grounds around Ireland.

“It has been no secret that our initial thinking was based around a redevelopment and expansion of Malahide Cricket Club. When we selected Malahide as the location for our main stadium in Dublin a decade ago, Irish cricket was in a very different position with a much smaller fixture list. By achieving Test status and joining the FTP, we’ve had to ask ourselves the tough question of whether that decision is still fit-for-purpose.

Warren further added, “It was a decision the board did not take lightly. Regardless of any future decision we are keen for Malahide to remain in use as an international ground for many years to come.”