Ireland are all set to play India in the T20I series in June this year under new management as Paul Stirling decided to step down as captain of the team in the shortest format on Thursday, March 19. A report by ESPNCricinfo in September last year revealed that there were talks between the BCCI and Cricket Ireland about the Indian team playing a short T20I series in Ireland before their tour of England this July.
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This has now been confirmed by Ireland’s Director of High Performance Graham West in a press release as he announced Stirling’s departure from the T20I captaincy role.
“With qualification for the T20 World Cup in 2028, Paul’s decision to step down as T20 captain provides an opportunity for the new captain to begin implementing his style and methodology, starting with the June series in India,” West said in a statement.
India will play Afghanistan in a one-off Test and a three-match ODI series right after the end of the IPL 2026 season. The final ODI match between the two sides is scheduled for June 20 and India will face England in the first T20I match of the tour on July 1.
With the dates yet to be announced, the short series against Ireland is expected to take place during this period.
WHY DID STIRLING RESIGN AS IRELAND CAPTAIN?
Stirling’s decision to step down as captain of Ireland’s T20I team comes after a terrible campaign during the T20 World Cup 2026. Ireland crashed out in the group stage after just one win in their four matches. They lost to Sri Lanka and Australia, while the match against Zimbabwe was scrapped.
Stirling will continue as Ireland’s ODI captain, meaning they will now have a dedicated captain in each of the formats.
“While I will be stepping down as T20 captain, I will remain fully committed to the Irish team and continue in my role as ODI captain. I still have huge ambitions as a player and feel this decision will allow me to fully focus on being the best version of myself and the strongest asset I can be on the field.”
“This is the right time for the team to move into a new chapter and I wish the best of luck to whoever takes up the T20 captaincy. They will have my full support and I look forward to working with them as we continue to build and strive 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 coming years,” Stirling said in a statement.
Stirling’s deputy Lorcan Tucker and Harry Tector are said to be considered frontrunners for the role.
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Published on:
20 March 2026 09:23 IST
