Paul Stirling steps down as captain of Ireland's T20I side, to continue with ODI leadership

Paul Stirling will step down as Ireland Men’s T20 International captain as a new planning cycle begins ahead of the 2028 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup – however, he will remain a valued member of the T20I squad and will remain captain of the one-day international squad.

Stirling, 35, was appointed the white-ball captain in 2023 and led the Irish team at the !CC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in Sri Lanka last month.

The captaincy change will now result in Ireland having a dedicated captain for each of the three formats:

• Test captain: Andrew Balbirnie
• ODI captain: Paul Stirling
• T20I captain: TBA

About the decision, Paul Stirling said:

“After careful thought and reflection, I have decided to step down as captain of Ireland’s T20 side. 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," Stirling said in a statement.

“I would like to thank my teammates, the coaching staff, the wider support staff, and everyone involved with Cricket Ireland for the backing they have shown me throughout. I’m also hugely appreciative of the support from fans who continue to follow and champion this team wherever we play."

“While I will be stepping away from the T20 captaincy, I remain fully committed to the Ireland team and will continue in my role as ODI captain. I still have a huge amount of ambition as a player and feel this decision will allow me to fully focus on being the best version of myself and making the strongest possible contribution on the field.

"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. Representing Ireland remains the greatest privilege of my career, and I am as motivated as ever to help the team continue to grow and achieve success in the years ahead."

Graeme West, Director of High Performance at Cricket Ireland, said:

“Paul has been an outstanding leader, combining his wealth of playing experience with exceptional man-management skills. He will continue to captain the ODI squad with the initial goal to successfully navigate qualification and lead the team in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup next October-November.

"With qualification secured for the T20 World Cup in 2028, Paul’s decision to stand down as T20 captain provides the opportunity for the new captain to begin implementing their style and methodology, starting with the India Series in June," he concluded.