Heinrich Malan rushed out of the ground after the arrival of the rain. (PC: ICC) A day after a landmark victory over India in the two-match T20I series, Heinrich Malan has decided to step down as head coach of the Ireland senior men’s team. Cricket Ireland confirmed the development on Monday.

Having been appointed head coach in 2022, Malan was due to remain with the team until next year. His work with the side was widely acknowledged, and his contract was extended in 2024. Malan said he was stepping aside in the best interests of the team and was proud of what he had achieved with the Irish side.

“On the field, we can look back with great pride on our historic T20 World Cup victory against England in Melbourne, our first-ever Test victory against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi, our first home Test win against Zimbabwe in Belfast, the historic T20I series win at home against India, and victories over Pakistan, West Indies and South Africa,” Malan said in a media release. “It has been an absolute privilege to work with these players, staff and the wider Irish cricket community. My family and I have had a wonderful experience living here, and we will look back on our time involved in Irish cricket with great affection.” Cricket Ireland thanked Malan for his services while revealing that discussions regarding his future had been taking place over the past few months.

“Over recent months, we have been discussing the upcoming World Cup Qualifier cycle and what would best support the squad’s preparation,” Cricket Ireland’s Director of High Performance, Graeme West, said. “In those conversations, Heinrich expressed a desire to step back at this point, which aligned with our focus on ensuring continuity heading into that campaign. I would like to thank Heinrich for his dedication to the head coach role.

Through his leadership, he has worked hard to increase the depth of playing talent within the Irish system, which will benefit the squad immensely over the coming months and years.” Malan departs as the most successful head coach in the history of the Ireland men’s team. During his tenure, Ireland recorded landmark victories over England in 2022, South Africa in 2024 and, most recently, India in a bilateral series. The side also secured qualification for three successive ICC Men’s T20 World Cups, earning places in the 2022, 2024 and 2026 editions.

In the longest format, Malan oversaw all three of Ireland’s Test victories, remaining in charge for each historic win to date. For More Exciting Articles:   The post appeared first on .