 Stirling in 2013 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Paul Robert Stirling | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1990-09-03)3 September 1990 (age 35) Belfast, Northern Ireland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-armoff break | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Top-order batter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Test debut (cap 9) | 11 May 2018 v Pakistan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 19 November 2025 v Bangladesh | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI debut (cap 28) | 1 July 2008 v New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last ODI | 25 May 2025 v West Indies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI shirt no. | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T20I debut (cap 16) | 15 June 2009 v Pakistan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last T20I | 31 January 2026 v UAE | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T20I shirt no. | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2019 | Middlesex | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | Sylhet Royals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018 | Kandahar Knights | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | Khulna Titans | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–present | Northern Knights | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020 | Northamptonshire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020 | Dambulla Viiking | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2023 | Islamabad United | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Middlesex | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Southern Brave | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Warwickshire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | Guyana Amazon Warriors | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | Paarl Royals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | Oval Invincibles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Leicestershire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source:ESPNcricinfo,31 January 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Paul Robert Stirling (born 3 September 1990) is anIrish cricketer fromNorthern Ireland. Stirling is the opening batsman for theIreland cricket team and an occasional right-arm, off-break bowler. He is one of the top 10 run scorers in T20 internationals.[1] He was one of the eleven cricketers to play in Ireland's first everTest match, againstPakistan, in May 2018. He was appointed as the vice-captain of the Ireland team in June 2020.[2] He subsequently served as interim captain of Ireland in the T20I and ODI format following the resignation ofAndrew Balbirnie, before being appointed as permanent limited-overs captain in October 2023.[3]
Stirling debuted infirst-class cricket in March 2008, playing for Ireland in the Intercontinental Cup. The same year, Stirling made his debut inOne Day Internationals (ODIs). Having representedMiddlesex's youth sides and Second XI, Stirling signed a contract with the club in December 2009. A month later he was awarded a contract withCricket Ireland, making him one of six players with a full-time contract with the board. He made hisTwenty20 andList A debuts for Middlesex in 2010 and 2011, respectively.
In December 2018, Stirling was one of nineteen players to be awarded a central contract by Cricket Ireland for the 2019 season.[4][5] In July 2019, in the second ODIagainst Zimbabwe, Stirling became the first batsman for Ireland to score 4,000 runs in ODIs.[6] In January 2020, he was one of nineteen players to be awarded a central contract from Cricket Ireland,[7] the first year in which all contracts were awarded on a full-time basis.[8] In August 2021, Stirling played in his 300th match for Ireland, in the opening fixture of Ireland's seriesagainst Zimbabwe.[9] In January 2022, Stirling captained Ireland for thefirst time in ODIs, in the second matchagainst the West Indies, afterAndrew Balbirnie was ruled out of the match due toCOVID-19.[10] In the same match, Stirling also became the first cricketer for Ireland toscore 5,000 runs in ODIs.[11]
In July 2009, Stirling scored his maidenfirst-class century. In Ireland's opening match of the2009–10 ICC Intercontinental Cup, heopened the batting withJeremy Bray and scored 100 in the firstinnings.[12] Stirling was a member of theIreland squad that participated in the2010 Under-19 World Cup hosted by New Zealand in January. The team were runners-up to Bangladesh in the Plate Championship, finishing tenth overall out of 16 teams.[13] Stirling was the team's leading run-scorer, with 209 from five matches.[14]
In December 2009, Stirling signed a three-year contract withMiddlesex County Cricket Club, joining former Ireland internationalEoin Morgan at the club. According toAngus Fraser, the club's director of cricket, representing Ireland is Stirling's priority; he also stated that "Paul has been involved with the Middlesex youth sides and Second XI and we are delighted that he has now signed a full time contract for the club. His batting for Ireland in 2009 highlighted his potential".[15] The following monthCricket Ireland, the governing body for cricket in Ireland, awarded Stirling a full-time contract. He was one of six players to be awarded such contracts with Cricket Ireland,[16] and came just a year after the first professional contracts were awarded to Ireland's cricketers. Before that players were amateurs relying on income from other jobs and playing cricket in their spare time. The contract allowed Stirling and the others to focus on cricket, with the aim of improving ahead of the2011 World Cup.[17]
After the 2011 Cricket World Cup, Stirling broke into Middlesex's one-day side during the 2011 season, making his List A debut for the club on 24 April againstWorcestershire.[18][19] Although Middlesex failed to progress beyond the group stages of the2011 Clydesdale Bank 40, Stirling enjoyed personal success. Scoring 535 runs from 12 matches, he was Middlesex's leading run-scorer and 7th in the competition.[20] During an innings of 68 againstYorkshire, one of Stirling's two half-centuries in the competition, he passed 2,000 runs in List A cricket.[21] Towards the end of the competition Stirling struck his first century in Middlesex colours, scoring 109 runs from 81 balls to a 34-run win overDerbyshire.[22]
Although a full-strength team played against England in an ODI in August 2012, county commitments meant many of Ireland's senior players were unavailable to play in the team's opening match of the2011–13 Intercontinental Cup.[23] An attacking half-century from Stirling in the final innings of the match helped secure victory for Ireland.[24][25] Later that same month Stirling scored his second first-class century. His innings of 107, beating his previous highest score of 100, came off just 79 deliveries and helped Ireland to their second win of the Intercontinental Cup.[26][27]
In August 2010, Stirling was nominated in the "Emerging Player of the Year" and "Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year" categories for theICC Awards. He was the only associate member to be nominated in the "Emerging Player" category, the other 15 players coming fromTest-playing countries. Ireland's had most nominees in the "Associate and Affiliate" category, withTrent Johnston andKevin O'Brien included alongside Stirling. Richard Holdsworth, a representative of the ICC, said "I think it's fantastic for Paul Stirling to be nominated in two separate categories and to be recognised alongside some of the leading emerging players in the Full Members, it proves how far the development of Associate cricket has progressed".[28] He did not make the short list in either category.[29]
In the annualICC Awards in January 2022, Stirling was included inICC Men's ODI Team of the Year for the year 2021.[30]
On 7 September 2010, during aOne Day International againstCanada, Stirling made his maidenList-Acentury, scoring 177 runs. In doing so, Stirling made the highest individual score for Ireland in a One Day International.
Stirling was selected in Ireland's 15-man squad for the2011 World Cup.[31] Ireland won two out of six matches, which was not sufficient to progress beyond the group stage, but finished on a high by beating the Netherlands. Chasing 307 to win on a batting friendly wicket, Stirling opened the batting with team captainWilliam Porterfield. The pair shared a partnership of 177 runs, setting a new record for Ireland's first wicket in ODIs. Stirling fell for 101, his century coming off 70 deliveries, which made it the fourth-fastest in World Cup history.[32]
When Ireland's cricketers have been regulars for English counties, demands from country and club have sometimes come into conflict. Despite this, Stirling played in Ireland'stwo-match ODI series against Pakistan in May. Ireland lost the series 2–0, but in the second match Stirling scored his first century against a Test nation.[33] Stirling's influence on the team was such that, along with all-round Kevin O'Brien, he was one of two Ireland players shortlisted for Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year at the2011 ICC Awards in August.[34]
A side made up of some of the best players from Associate and Affiliate teams was put together to face England in Dubai in January 2012. The three-day match was part of England's preparation for a series against Pakistan later that month. Stirling was one of four Ireland players included in the 12-man squad.[35]
In theODI series against Afghanistan he along withRashid Khan became the first pair of bowlers representing different teams to take 6 wickets a piece in a single ODI match[36]
In February 2018, theInternational Cricket Council (ICC) named Stirling as one of the ten players to watch ahead of the2018 Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament.[37]
In May 2018, he was named in a fourteen-man squad for Ireland's first everTest match, which was playedagainst Pakistan later the same month.[38][39] He made his Test debut for Ireland, against Pakistan, on 11 May 2018. He scored 17 runs in the first innings, and became the first Irish batsman to score a boundary in Test cricket.[40][41] In January 2019, he was named in Ireland's squad for their one-off Testagainst Afghanistan in India.[42][43]
In September 2019, he was named in Ireland's squad for the2019 ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier tournament in the United Arab Emirates.[44] He was the leading run-scorer in the tournament, with 291 runs in eight matches.[45][46]
In June 2020, he was named as the vice-captain of the Ireland cricket team.[47] On 10 July 2020, Stirling was named in Ireland's 21-man squad to travel to England to start trainingbehind closed doors for the ODI seriesagainst the England cricket team.[48][49] In January 2021, in Ireland's seriesagainst Afghanistan, Stirling scored his 12th century, themost by a cricketer for Ireland in ODIs.[50] In September 2021, Stirling was named in Ireland's provisional squad for the2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.[51]
In April 2023, he was named in Ireland's squad for the second Test matchagainst Sri Lanka.[52] On 25 April 2023, he scored his maiden century in Test cricket,[53] and became the second Irishman to score acentury in all three international formats.[54] He was also involved in a 115-run stand withAndy Balbirnie in the first innings, recording thehighest partnership for Ireland in Tests, in terms of runs.[55]
In May 2024, he was named the captain of the Ireland’s squad for the2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup tournament.[56]
Stirling became the first Irish player, and 95th from any country, to score 10,000 international runs across all formats when he made 54 against theWest Indies in a One Day International atCastle Avenue,Clontarf, on 21 May 2025.[57]
In September 2018, he was named in Kandahar's squad in thefirst edition of theAfghanistan Premier League tournament.[58] The following month, he was named inPaarl Rocks' squad for thefirst edition of theMzansi Super League T20 tournament.[59][60]
In July 2019, he was selected to play for the Belfast Titans in theinaugural edition of theEuro T20 Slam cricket tournament.[61][62] However, the following month the tournament was cancelled.[63]
He signed a contract withNorthamptonshire for the 2020 Vitality t20 Blast on 31 January 2020. In October 2020, he was drafted by theDambulla Viiking for theinaugural edition of theLanka Premier League.[64] In February 2021 Stirling signed toIslamabad United as a replacement player.[65] In December 2021, he was signed byIslamabad United following the players' draft for the2022 Pakistan Super League.[66] He played the first five games of the PSL for Islamabad United before leaving for international duty with Ireland.[67] He returned to Islamabad United before their eliminator game againstLahore Qalandars.[68]
In theinaugural season ofThe Hundred, he was signed by theSouthern Brave.[69]
In 2023, he played for the Oval Invincibles in the 2023 Final of The Hundred. The Invincibles winning by 14 runs.
Ireland squads | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
