Paul Stirling Archives

Paul Stirling joins Rohit Sharma in elite T20 World Cup list

COLOMBO: Ireland captain Paul Stirling achieved another milestone in his career after joining the list of players who have appeared in the most editions of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Stirling, 35, achieved the feat after taking the field during the ongoing Sri Lanka clash at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday.

The right-hander has appeared in every edition of the mega event since the 2009 World Cup, joining Bangladesh Shakib Al Hasan and former India captain Rohit Sharma.

Part of most editions of the men’s T20 World Cup

9 – Shakib Al Hasan
9 – Rohit Sharma
𝟗 – 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠
8 – Mahmudullah
8 – David Warner
8 – Mohammad Nabi

It is worth mentioning that Stirling is also the most capped player in the T20Is with 162 matches. He surpassed Rohit Sharma’s tally of 159 matches during his side’s recent series against UAE before the T20 World Cup.

Most Capped Player in T20Is

1. Paul Stirling Ireland 162 matches (2009–2026)
2 Rohit Sharma India 159 matches (2007–2024)
3 George Dockrell Ireland 155 (2010–2026)
4 Mohammad Nabi Afghanistan 149 (2010–2026)
5 Jos Buttler England 148 (2011–2026)

Stirling is also the fifth-highest run getter in T20Is with 3,888 runs to his name, including a century and 24 fifties.

Most Runs in T20Is

Babar Azam (PAK): 140 matches, 4520 runs

Rohit Sharma (IND): 159 matches, 4231 runs

Virat Kohli (IND): 125 matches, 4188 runs

Jos Buttler (ENG): 148 matches, 3976 runs

Paul Stirling (IRE): 162 matches, 3888 runs

At the time of filing this story, Sri Lanka were 140-4 in 18 overs against Ireland.

READ: Sloppy England seal nervy win against Nepal in T20 World Cup

Skipper Stirling leads Ireland to ODI win over South Africa

Ireland captain Paul Stirling led from the front with a dashing 88 as his side completed their ODI series against South Africa with a convincing 69-run win in the final match in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

Chasing 285 to win, South Africa slipped to 126-6 with only a fine 91 from Jason Smith keeping them in the game.

But Smith was unable to prevent the Irish from claiming only their second ODI win over the Proteas.

“It’s a relief to get past it,” said Stirling. “We talked about just winning the game and getting the job done.”

“We let ourselves down in the first two games. We knew if we applied ourselves and kept our wickets in hand we’ll get the runs.”

Graham Hume, who was born in Johannesburg and played for South Africa Under 19s, was the pick of the Irish bowlers with 3-29 while Ulster-born Craig Young finished with 3-40.

South Africa took the ODI series 2-1 with the two sides sharing the preceding T20 series 1-1.

Stirling set the tone for Ireland’s 284-9 after he won the toss and decided to bat. That was in contrast to the first two matches when Ireland chased, failing to survive past 32 overs as they made 132 and 169 in reply to big South African scores.

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On Monday, Stirling and Andy Balbirnie put on 101 for the first wicket before Balbirnie fell to Lizaad Williams for a steady 45 from 73 balls.

Curtis Campher accelerated with 34 off 36 balls before he fell to Ottneil Baartman who then bowled Stirling in his next over. The captain had hit three sixes and eight fours in his innings.

Harry Tector kept Ireland moving with a 48-ball 60 while Williams, the only South African bowler to get through his full 10 overs, finished with 4-56.

South Africa’s reply was soon in disarray at 10-3 as Mark Adair removed Ryan Rickelton and Rassie van der Dussen, standing in for injured captain Temba Bavuma. Reeza Hendricks edged Graham Hume to Balbirnie at second slip.

Kyle Verreynne (38) and Tristan Stubbs (20) steadied the innings with a 49-run partnership but once Verreynne was leg before to Young the wheels came off again.

At 126-6, South Africa looked out of it but Smith made sure the Irish would have to wait.

The 29-year-old from Western Province, who made nought in his only other ODI against Afghanistan last month, made the most of his chance after being drafted in following Wiaan Mulder return home for personal reasons.

Smith hammered his 91 from 93 balls with nine fours and four sixes before slicing Hume to Adair at third man.

READ: PCB Chairman opens up about Babar Azam’s replacement as captain

Paul Stirling believes Ireland can beat Pakistan and USA

Ireland captain Paul Stirling on Friday, asserted that his team can beat Pakistan and the United States of America (USA) in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 fixtures.

Ireland are on the verge of an early exit from the 20-team tournament after losing back-to-back matches against India and Canada.

Meanwhile, the Irish captain Stirling, while speaking at the post-match press conference after his side’s 12-run defeat against Canada, claimed that his side can win its remaining group-stage fixtures.

“We’ve got two huge games,” he said. “Still massive every time you put on the shirt you want to go and win, but no reason why we can’t go and beat USA and Pakistan. We need to play a hell of a lot better if we’re going to want to do that. But different conditions, we know them slightly better and will certainly be given it as best a crack as we can.

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Stirling also acknowledged that Ireland did not play to their full potential in their first two matches of the T20 World Cup, stating if they do not play their best, they are bound to lose.

“I think we just want to play as good cricket as we possibly can. I’ve sort of hammered for at least the last year that if we don’t play our best cricket, we will not win games of cricket. So, we need to get back to our best for next week,” said Stirling.

Paul Stirling then went on to laud the inexperienced Canada for playing better while commenting on his side’s shock loss.

“They played better cricket than us for three hours and they won the game, simple as that. That doesn’t really, for me, matter what their tagline is, associate or full member or what, they just played smarter cricket, better cricket all day than us and they won,” Stirling concluded.

READ: “Babar Azam has not improved as captain in four years,” Shoaib Malik

Paul Stirling’s remarks about Pakistan go viral after Ireland’s historic win

DUBLIN: Ireland’s T20I captain Paul Stirling took a dig at Pakistan cricket following his team’s historic victory in the first T20I of the three-match series at Clontarf Cricket Club here on Friday.

Speaking after the match, Stirling commented on his decision to Pakistan into bat after winning the coin toss and asserted that the touring nation have the ‘flattest pitches’ in the world.

“We are absolutely delighted. We wanted to start the summer off well and it was almost a perfect day for us. When you come here, especially from Pakistan, the flattest pitches in the world, ask them to bat first and see what they can get. We were happy to chase 180,” stated Stirling.

He further lauded opening batter Andy Balbirnie for his match-winning half-century, which earned him the Player of the Match award.

“Brilliant knock from Balbirnie, he got through the powerplay and picked up the pace later. It was a fantastic knock. We have had great games here especially against Pakistan. Absolutely delighted to get over the line,” Stirling said.

Put into bat first, Pakistan accumulated 182/5 in the allotted 20 overs, courtesy of Babar Azam’s anchoring half-century, followed by Iftikhar Ahmed’s late onslaught.

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Babar remained the top-scorer for Pakistan with a 43-ball 57, followed by young opener Saim Ayub, who scored 45. Whereas, Iftikhar bolstered the team total with an unbeaten cameo of 37.

Set to chase 183, Ireland amassed the total for the loss of five wickets and a ball to spare, at the back of a strong third-wicket partnership between Harry Tector and Balbirnie.

Balbirnie and Tector knitted an anchoring 77-run partnership for the third wicket to recover Ireland from a dismal start as Paul Stirling (8) and Lorcan Tucker (4) perished cheaply.

Tector perished in the 13th over after scoring 36 off 27 deliveries while Balbirnie carried his bat all the way through to the 19th over to put Ireland in touching distance.

He top-scored for Ireland with 77 off 55 deliveries, peppered with 10 boundaries and two sixes.

Pakistan and Ireland next face each other in the second T20I of the three-match series at the same venue on Sunday.

READ: Babar Azam reveals reasons behind Pakistan’s shock Ireland defeat

Ireland name white-ball squad for Zimbabwe tour

DUBLIN: Cricket Ireland on Wednesday, unveiled separate ODI and T20I squads, under the leadership of Paul Stirling, for their upcoming white-ball tour to Zimbabwe.

According to the details, the contingent, which will be led by Paul Stirling, will depart on December 1 and will play three T20Is and as many ODIs.

This will be the first tour led by Paul Stirling since his permanent appointment as white-ball captain.

He has previously captained the side 22 times in an interim capacity.

Before the squad’s departure to Zimbabwe, the players will participate in a five-day training camp, which will be held in Spain from 19-23 November.

Ireland Men’s national selector Andrew White is eager to see how the new set of players evolve under a new leadership.

“This is the first outing for the Men’s squad since the ODI series in England in September. This tour marks the start of a new cycle under a new leadership set-up, and we’re looking forward to seeing how this playing group evolves as it builds towards the next 50-over World Cup.

“However, before we get to that stage there will be two T20 World Cups to plan and prepare for, and this tour is core to our preparations for the T20 World Cup next June.

“We showed the world what we were capable of at the last T20 World Cup, but with the talent and potential within this playing group, there is a belief we can push on and achieve even more.”

Ireland Men’s T20I squad
Paul Stirling (Capt), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Josh Little, Graham Hume, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Theo van Woerkom, Craig Young.

Ireland Men’s ODI squad
Paul Stirling (Capt), Mark Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Josh Little, Graham Hume, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Theo van Woerkom, Craig Young.

Tour Itinerary:

7 December: Zimbabwe v Ireland – 1st T20I (Harare)
9 December: Zimbabwe v Ireland – 2nd T20I (Harare)
10 December: Zimbabwe v Ireland – 3rd T20I (Harare)
13 December: Zimbabwe v Ireland – 1st ODI (Harare)
15 December: Zimbabwe v Ireland – 2nd ODI (Harare)
17 December: Zimbabwe v Ireland – 3rd ODI (Harare)

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Record Ireland Test score as Stirling, Campher hit tons in Sri Lanka

GALLE: Ireland posted their highest Test score of 492 on Tuesday as Paul Stirling and Curtis Campher became only the third and fourth Irishmen to hit centuries in cricket’s longest format.

Before rain stopped play on day two in Galle, in reply Sri Lanka were 81 without loss, 411 runs behind, with Nishan Madushka unbeaten on 41 and Dimuth Karunaratne 39 not out.

But the day belonged to Ireland, with Stirling scoring 103 and Campher 111 after captain Andy Balbirnie made 95 on day one.

Lorcan Tucker scored a useful 80 while Prabath Jayasuriya, the home hero of the first Test, took five wickets for 174. Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando took two wickets each.

Ireland only gained Test status in 2017 and have lost all five games so far.

The previous highest Test score was 339 against Pakistan in their inaugural match in 2018.

In punishingly hot and humid conditions, Stirling had retired hurt with cramps on Monday after reaching 74, but came back to the crease on Tuesday after Tucker fell.

Stirling reached his maiden Test hundred in style, upper-cutting Asitha Fernando for six over deep point. He now has centuries in all three formats of the game.

Soon afterwards the same bowler dismissed Stirling for 103 as the batsman hooked a short delivery into the hands of Dhananjaya de Silva on the fine-leg boundary.

Campher was well caught by a diving De Silva at first slip to give Jayasuriya his third wicket in the innings.

Sri Lanka’s openers negotiated the final session without much trouble although Ireland’s quicks found the outside edge of the bat of Madushka with the new ball.

Ireland lost the first Test by an innings and 280 runs.

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Stirling leads Ireland to maiden Bangladesh win

CHITTAGONG: Paul Stirling hit an aggressive 77 off 41 balls to lift Ireland to their first win against Bangladesh on Bangladeshi soil in Friday’s third and final T20 match.

The visitors lost the opening two matches but raced to 126-3 in 14 overs after bowling out their hosts for 124 in Chittagong.

Shamim Hossain struck his maiden 50 to lift Bangladesh from a precarious 41-5 but it was not enough to deny Ireland their first win of the tour.

Stirling hit 10 fours and four sixes, including a six and three fours off consecutive deliveries, to hasten his team’s victory.

Taskin Ahmed bowled Ross Adair for seven before Shoriful Islam dismissed Lorcan Tucker for four, but Stirling shared a 68-run partnership with Harry Tector for the third wicket to keep Ireland on course.

Ireland were well in control by the time debutant leg-spinner Rishad Hossain had Stirling caught by Najmul Hossain at long on.

Curtis Campher sealed the win with a six off Taskin.

Mark Adair led Ireland’s bowling attack with 3-25, while Matthew Humphreys picked up 2-10, denying Bangladesh the opportunity to build any significant partnerships.

Adair dismissed the in-form Liton Das for five off his first ball in the second over.

Shamim, who came at number six, hit five fours and two sixes to take Bangladesh past the 100-run mark before he became the last man dismissed.

Bangladesh won the preceding one-day international series 2-0. The two teams will now play a one-off Test starting on Tuesday in Dhaka.

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Liam Dawson replaces Paul Stirling for PSL 7 Lahore-leg

KARACHI: English cricketer – Liam Dawson has replaced Paul Stirling in Islamabad United’s squad for the Lahore-leg matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 7.

Stirling, who scored 187 runs for the United in five matches, including two magnificent half-centuries has left the squad to return to his homeland.

The 31-years-old had to leave the mega event midway following his national duties. English all-rounder – Dawson has replaced Stirling in the United’s squad.

Furthermore, the event technical committee has already approved the name of the partial substitute.

It is worth mentioning here that the United have played five matches so far in the PSL 7 and are in second place with three victories.

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