EIMEAR RICHARDSON returns to a 15-strong Ireland squad for next month’s T20 World Cup qualifiers in Dubai where the Girls in Green will look to book their passage to the finals in Bangladesh in the autumn.

Big-hitting veteran Richardson who has not played for Ireland since their West Indies tour in June, will bolster the middle order, as Laura Delany’s team bid to finish in the top two of the 10-team tournament.

‘I’m really confident given the potential of our group, and the work ethic and ambition,” skipper Delany said.

”Going into these qualifiers anything can happen but from an ability point of view we stack up well and we want to not only get to the final but to win the tournament.”

Ireland will play a two-match mini series against Thailand ahead of the tournament, and then face the unknown quantities of Vanuatu and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the Netherlands and Zimbabwe in their five-team group.

SQUAD: Laura Delany (captain), Ava Canning, Alana Dalzell, Georgina Dempsey, Amy Hunter, Arlene Kelly, Gaby Lewis, Louise Little, Joanna Loughran, Jane Maguire, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast, Eimear Richardson, Rebecca Stokell.