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)
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 upset England in Bangalore, 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: 12
T20Is: 11
ODIs: 12
T20Is: 11
Ireland Men's Cricket Team Records
Tests: Most runs| Most wickets | Highest totals | Lowest totals
ODIs: Most runs| Most wickets | Highest totals | Lowest totals
T20Is: Most runs| Most wickets | Highest totals | Lowest totals
ODIs: Most runs| Most wickets | Highest totals | Lowest totals
T20Is: Most runs| Most wickets | Highest totals | Lowest totals
Ireland Men's Cricket Team Trophies and Milestones
2007: Beat Pakistan at Sabina Park in second World Cup match
Team Fan Ratings
Top Run Scorers
In last one year91
Innings: 3Average: 30.33
88
Innings: 3Average: 29.33
79
Innings: 3Average: 39.50
234
Innings: 5Average: 46.80
167
Innings: 5Average: 33.40
156
Innings: 5Average: 39.00
431
Innings: 18Average: 23.94
328
Innings: 18Average: 21.86
304
Innings: 18Average: 16.88
Top Wicket Takers
In last one year10
Innings: 4Average: 15.00
7
Innings: 4Average: 17.57
6
Innings: 3Average: 15.83
9
Innings: 6Average: 26.11
8
Innings: 4Average: 28.00
7
Innings: 5Average: 21.57
26
Innings: 18Average: 20.03
18
Innings: 11Average: 18.33
16
Innings: 15Average: 28.25