Paul Stirling quits Ireland T20I captaincy; India series confirmed

Star Ireland opening batter Paul Stirling has announced his decision to quit the T20I captaincy following an insipid T20 World Cup 2026 campaign. Meanwhile, Cricket Ireland has confirmed a T20I series against India at home in June which would be preceded by the subcontinental giant's white-ball tour of England in July.

Stirling was handed over the captaincy mantle from Andy Balbirnie in 2023. The right-hander led the side in 48 matches, winning 20 of those. However, Ireland could not achieve much during the 35-year-old's rein as the team failed to go beyond the group stage in the 2024 and 2026 editions of the T20 World Cup.

In the T20 World Cup 2024, Ireland failed to win a single game and went down against India and Pakistan while their match against the USA was washed out. In the latest edition, the team could only register a solitary victory against Oman while they lost to Sri Lanka and Australia. Incidentally, the game against Zimbabwe was washed out.

As a matter of fact, Stirling did not play much of a role in the recently concluded edition as he injured his knee while fielding in the team's second match of the tournament against Australia. The Irish board, meanwhile, has not named a new T20I skipper. Lorcan Tucker, who was the vice captain at the T20 World Cup and named the interim captain after Stirling's injury, is expected to take over on a full-time basis though.

In a statement, Stirling expressed gratification for being able to lead the country and shared that it was the right time to hand over the reins of the T20I side to a capable head while he plays freely as a batter.

"It has been a tremendous honour to lead Ireland in this format and something I have been incredibly proud to do. Captaining your country is a privilege that carries great responsibility, and I'm very grateful for the trust and support I have received during my time in the role.

"This feels like the right time for the team to move into a new chapter, and I wish whoever takes on the T20 captaincy every success. They will have my full support, and I look forward to working alongside them as we continue to build and push for success on the international stage," said Stirling.

Meanwhile, the details of the India T20I series are awaited as Cricket Ireland is anticipated to release their 2026 international summer schedule next week.