UAE v Ireland ODI series: TV channels, schedule, team news - All you need to know

The Cricketer provides all the information over who, what, where, when, why, which channel and how wet it will be ahead of the three-match 50-over series...

What it is?

A four-match 50-over series between the United Arab Emirates and Ireland. The matches precede the three-match series against Afghanistan later this month.

What's the schedule?

FIRST ODI: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi (Friday, January 8 -  5:30am GMT, 9:30am local time)

SECOND ODI: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi (Sunday, January 10 - 5:30am GMT, 9:30am local time)

THIRD ODI: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi (Tuesday, January 12 - 5:30am GMT, 9:30am local time)

FOURTH ODI: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi (Thursday, January 14 - 5:30am GMT, 9:30am local time)

What are Ireland's chances?

Unlike some nations on the lower rung of the international ladder, Ireland have been fortunate enough to get some cricket amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

They travelled to England for three ODIs and were competitive for the duration, winning the concluding match when the series was already decided.

What will hopefully be a more fruitful year begins in the United Arab Emirates with seven one-day internationals, the first four of which come against their hosts.

Andrew Balbirnie's side have Afghanistan, South Africa, Netherlands and Zimbabwe on the horizon before the main event of the year; the T20 World Cup in October and November.

And given that competition starts with a group stage which provides two places in the main tournament, Ireland have no time to play their way into the event, with Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea and Oman for company.

^{Paul Stirling enjoyed a fine summer in England}

Though the delayed Afghanistan matches in Abu Dhabi do count towards qualification for the next 50-over World Cup, it would be fair to observe that the next 10 months will be used to prepare for that showcase event in India.

It was in the UAE in 2019 where Ireland secured their berth in the competition, finishing top of a group which included the home side. Though in the 20-over format, they were indeed defeated by a UAE side gutted by a pre-tournament anti-corruption controversy.

Though the England tour was fleeting, plenty of positives emerged. Curtis Campher was the brightest performer, going from debutant to established member of the team inside three games. Once again, Paul Stirling proved himself to be a class above while Balbirnie registered some valuable runs.

Injury ensured we didn't see much of Mark Adair but in Josh Little, who is available this winter after coming through quarantine, a talented and hostile left-arm seamer is emerging nicely.

Nevertheless, this could be a tough group of seven matches for the Irish. Surfaces will be benign and with them all being on the same venue inside three weeks, things are hardly likely to get easier for them. Ideal preparation for later in the year might initially expose some shortcomings.

Ireland's squad: Andrew Balbirnie (c), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, Josh Little, Andrew McBrine, Barry McCarthy, James McCollum, Kevin O’Brien, Neil Rock, Simi Singh, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Craig Young

What about UAE?

Eleven months will have passed since UAE last played at an international at any level - they beat Kuwait by 102 runs on February 27 last year - yet there is plenty of optimism in amongst the camp ahead of a fresh chapter.

Though international competition was hard to come by - even some full member nations struggled - there was plenty of domestic action which kept their players busy.

Thanks to effective government intervention which has included preventing deaths from Covid-19 reaching four figures and an effective vaccine roll-out, from July domestic cricket was a regular feature.

T10 and T20 cricket, as well as academy and women's matches, were all fulfilled meaning 2020 was far from a lost cause in the UAE.

Those competitions showcased the talent currently emerging in the UAE. Seventeen-year-old Alishan Sharafu scored 147 in a 10-over match while Aryan Lakra, who had previously impressed at the Under-19 World Cup, grabbed 20 wickets during the D20 Tournament.

In addition, three players involved against Ireland earned training berths with Indian Premier League franchises.

^{UAE are taking the necessary precautions before the series}

Captain Ahmed Raza and Karthik Meiyappan worked with Royal Challengers Bangalore while Zahoor Khan spent time with champions Mumbai Indians.

Zahoor had been struggling with an elbow injury but has been declared fit while Chirag Suri is also available after a rib problem.

Alishan Sharafu, Aryan Lakra, Kashif Daud and Adhitya Shetty have all earned maiden call-ups to a team who haven't completed a 50-over game for a year, yet that only tells half the story.

UAE's squad: Ahmed Raza (c), Chirag Suri, Rohan Mustafa, Muhammad Usman, Muhammad Boota, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmad, Zawar Farid, CP Rizwaan, Aryan Lakra, Karthik Meiyappan, Alishan Sharafu, Basil Hameed, Kashif Daud, Adithya Shetty, Vriitya Aravind

How can I follow it?

Viewers in Ireland and the UK can access all four ODIs via YouTube, with links to the matches to be provided on the day.

Alternatively, Premier Sports (Sky channels 412/429, Virgin 551/552) will also show the games.

In the UAE, Middle East broadcasters Etisalat will provide live coverage of the series.

Fans in India can watch the action unfold via Eurosport, while Willow TV have the rights in the United States and Canada.