Is Paul Stirling Out of AUS vs IRE T20 World Cup 2026 Match?

Australia and Ireland are facing each other in the 14th match of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Australia's stand-in skipper, Travis Head, won the toss and opted to bat first. The Kangaroos managed to score 182 runs after an average batting show.

Meanwhile, Ireland skipper Paul Stirling had to walk off the pitch after playing just one delivery during the chase. It was an unexpected moment that left the Irish fans inside the stadium worried and disappointed.

Is Paul Stirling Out of AUS vs IRE Match?

During the AUS vs IRE T20 World Cup 2026 match, Ireland skipper Paul Stirling was off the field for most of the time during the first innings. The reports suggested that the star player had pulled a hamstring. However, he came out to open the Ireland innings along with Ross Adair. But, after playing the first delivery of the second innings, Stirling looked uncomfortable and limped off the field.

As of now, there aren't any reports whether he'll be back to play in the this Match or not. Paul Stirling injury is indeed a huge blow for Ireland, as they were looking upon their captain to give them a strong start. However, he was unable to bat again in the match.

Stirling was later seen watching the game from the dug out as Australia eased past Ireland to knock off their first win of the tournament. The Aussies won the match by a big margin of 67 runs, which almost ended Ireland's chances in this tournament.

Ireland Suffer 2nd Successive Defeat After Paul Stirling's Injury

Paul Stirling is regarded as one of the best T20 batsmen for his explosive batting at the top. The might right-handed batter has played 162 T20I matches and has scored 3,894 runs at an average of 26.31, including 24 half-centuries and a century.

Over the years, he has served Ireland cricket with all his heart which is the reason why he is also the captain of the team. The right-hander has been constantly playing major ICC tournaments for Ireland over the years.

However, his injury affected Ireland's run-chase during the match against Australia. After he was dismissed, no other Irish batter could go on to play a big innings. George Dockrell top-scored for them with a 29-ball-41 while Lorcan Tucker scored a steady 24.