Matches (12)
T20 World Cup (3)
Vitality Blast (6)
CE Cup (3)

Ireland Cricket Team

Captains: Andy Balbirnie (Test), Paul Stirling (ODI, T20I)
Coaches: Heinrich Malan (head coach), Gary Wilson (batting/wicketkeeping coach), Ryan Eagleson (pace-bowling coach), Chris Brown (spin-bowling coach)
First international match: 1855
Cricket board: Cricket Ireland (CI)

Ireland Men's cricket team history


Cricket has been played in Ireland since at least the 18th century but its popularity dwindled in the late 1800s as Gaelic Games - hurling and Gaelic football - became more dominant. From the start of the 20th century to 1970, a ban on "foreign" sports rendered cricket largely irrelevant.

The Irish Cricketing Union - a precursor to the modern board - was formed in the 1920s. In 1980, Ireland entered England's one-day county competition, but they needed until 1997 to beat a county side.

Ireland qualified for the men's ODI World Cup for the first time in 2007. They tied their first game, against Zimbabwe and, two days later, on St Patrick's Day, they secured a stunning three-wicket win over Pakistan after bowling them out for 132.

In the 2011 men's ODI World Cup, they stunned England in Bengaluru, chasing down 328 thanks to a 50-ball century from Kevin O'Brien - at the time, the fastest in World Cup history.

Ireland's players played county cricket as non-overseas players, but the country also regularly lost players to England, most notably Eoin Morgan, who went on to captain England to the 2019 World Cup title.

Ireland were awarded Full-Member status in 2017 and played their first Test the following year. In their third, in 2019, they bowled England out for 85 at Lord's but eventually lost the match. Their first Test win came in 2024 when they beat Afghanistan by six wickets in Abu Dhabi (they didn't play a Test between 2019 and 2023).

They missed out on qualification for successive ODI World Cups after the ICC trimmed the tournament to ten teams, and, after Brexit, their players were forced to choose between their county contracts and international duty.

But Ireland continued to upset the big boys: at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, they beat West Indies, Scotland, and eventual champions England.

As with rugby union - but unlike football - Ireland have a single team for cricket, which represents Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Ireland Men's Cricket Team's Current Ranking


Tests: 11
ODIs: 11
T20Is: 11

Ireland Men's Cricket Team Records



Ireland Men's Cricket Team Trophies and Milestones



2007: Beat Pakistan at Sabina Park in second World Cup match






fan-ratings
Team Fan Ratings
T20Is
OTHERT20s
1.
Mark Adair
Runs: 661Wkts: 119
8.4
2.
Fionn Hand
Runs: 59Wkts: 7
7.7
3.
Lorcan Tucker
Runs: 1295Wkts: 0
6.8

Top Run Scorers

In last one year
Tests
ODIs
T20Is
Lorcan Tucker
IRE,  Rhb
73
Innings: 2Average: 73.00
Paul Stirling
IRE,  Rhb
66
Innings: 2Average: 33.00
Andy Balbirnie
IRE,  Rhb
60
Innings: 2Average: 60.00
Harry Tector
IRE,  Rhb
467
Innings: 11Average: 42.45
Curtis Campher
IRE,  Rhb
392
Innings: 9Average: 49.00
Paul Stirling
IRE,  Rhb
366
Innings: 11Average: 33.27
Andy Balbirnie
IRE,  Rhb
513
Innings: 18Average: 28.50
Lorcan Tucker
IRE,  Rhb
410
Innings: 19Average: 25.62
Harry Tector
IRE,  Rhb
376
Innings: 17Average: 26.85

Top Wicket Takers

In last one year
Tests
ODIs
T20Is
Mark Adair
IRE,  Rfm
8
Innings: 2Average: 11.87
Craig Young
IRE,  Rfm
5
Innings: 2Average: 11.00
Barry McCarthy
IRE,  Rfm
4
Innings: 2Average: 19.00
Mark Adair
IRE,  Rfm
18
Innings: 13Average: 31.44
Craig Young
IRE,  Rfm
14
Innings: 8Average: 21.85
Josh Little
IRE,  Lfm
14
Innings: 8Average: 32.28
Mark Adair
IRE,  Rfm
34
Innings: 19Average: 15.64
Ben White
IRE,  Lb
18
Innings: 15Average: 22.61
Barry McCarthy
IRE,  Rfm
18
Innings: 16Average: 26.33