'Very grateful': Ireland’s Paul Stirling quits T20 captaincy after poor World Cup
Paul Stirling has stepped down as Ireland’s T20I captain as part of plans for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2028. Ireland struggled in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, finishing fourth, while Stirling’s campaign ended early due to injury. Lorcan Tucker led in his absence.
Stirling will continue as ODI captain and said, "It has been a tremendous honour to lead Ireland in this format. "
NEW DELHI: Ireland’s T20 cricket team is set for a leadership change as experienced batter Paul Stirling has decided to step down as T20I captain. This move is part of a bigger plan to prepare the team for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2028. While he will no longer lead in the shortest format, Stirling will continue as ODI captain and remain an important player in the T20 side.
Ireland’s recent outing at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 didn’t go as hoped. The team finished fourth in their group, managing just one win along with a no-result and two losses. Stirling’s own tournament was also cut short after he suffered a knee ligament injury during a match against Australia national cricket team, limiting him to only two games.
With Stirling sidelined, wicketkeeper-batter Lorcan Tucker stepped in to captain the team for the remaining matches. The experience highlighted the need to start building a new leadership group for the future. Stirling’s message and what’s next Even though he’s stepping down, Stirling made it clear how much leading Ireland meant to him.