A long-standing milestone in T20Is has changed hands, marking the end of Rohit Sharma’s tenure atop one of the format’s most enduring records. The former India captain, who retired from T20Is after lifting the 2024 T20 World Cup, is no longer the player with the most appearances in the shortest format.
That distinction now belongs to Ireland’s Paul Stirling. The Irish captain reached the landmark during Ireland’s first T20I against the United Arab Emirates at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, playing his 160th match in the format. In doing so, Stirling moved past Rohit’s tally of 159 matches, which the Indian opener accumulated across a 17-year T20I career that began in 2007.
While the occasion was historic, Stirling’s personal contribution with the bat was modest. Opening the innings, he scored eight runs before being dismissed, unable to mark the record-breaking appearance with a significant innings. Nevertheless, the match cemented his place at the top of the all-time T20I appearance list.
Stirling now leads a list dominated by players from teams that have consistently featured in bilateral series and global qualifiers. His Ireland teammate George Dockrell sits third with 153 T20I appearances, while Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi follows with 148. England’s Jos Buttler rounds out the current top five with 144 matches.
Beyond T20 cricket, longevity records in the other formats remain untouched. Sachin Tendulkar continues to hold the benchmarks for Tests and ODIs, having played 200 Test matches and 463 one-day internationals during a 23-year international career.
Ireland produced all-round performance
Despite Stirling’s failure to contribute much, Ireland posted 178 runs on the board in the first innings. Ross Adair made 39, while Lorcan Tucker scored 38 runs. There were impactful cameos from Benjamin Calitz and George Dockrell as well.
When it came to the chase, UAE struggled to get going with the bat. Matthew Humphreys and Gareth Delany were sensational with the ball for Ireland, claiming three wickets each as the visitors won the match by 57 runs.