List of Ireland Twenty20 International cricket records
A Twenty20 International (T20I) is a form of cricket, played between two of the international members of the International Cricket Council (ICC), in which each team faces a maximum of twenty overs. The matches have top-class status and are the highest T20 standard. The game is played under the rules of Twenty20 cricket.[1][2] The first Twenty20 International match between two men's sides was played on 17 February 2005, involving Australia and New Zealand. Wisden Cricketers' Almanack reported that "neither side took the game especially seriously",[3] and it was noted by ESPNcricinfo that but for a large score for Ricky Ponting, "the concept would have shuddered".[4] However, Ponting himself said "if it does become an international game then I'm sure the novelty won't be there all the time".[5]
This is a list of Ireland Cricket team's Twenty20 International records. It is based on the List of Twenty20 International records, but concentrates solely on records dealing with the Irishmen cricket team. Ireland played its first Twenty20 game against Bermuda in August 2008, and these records date from that game.
Key
The top five records are listed for each category, except for the team wins, losses, draws and ties, all round records and the partnership records. Tied records for fifth place are also included. Explanations of the general symbols and cricketing terms used in the list are given below. Specific details are provided in each category where appropriate. All records include matches played for Ireland only, and are correct as of August 2020[update].
Key
Symbol
Meaning
†
Player or umpire is currently active in T20I cricket
As of September 2024[update], Ireland has played 169 T20I matches resulting in 71 victories, 89 defeats, 2 ties and 7 no results for an overall winning percentage of 44.44.[6]
A T20I match is won when one side has scored more runs than the runs scored by the opposing side during their innings. If both sides have completed both their allocated innings and the side that fielded last has the higher aggregate of runs, it is known as a win by runs. This indicates the number of runs that they had scored more than the opposing side. If the side batting last wins the match, it is known as a win by wickets, indicating the number of wickets that were still to fall.[22]
Greatest win margins (by runs)
The greatest winning margin by runs in T20Is was Czech Republic's victory over Turkey by 257 runs in the sixth match of the 2019 Continental Cup.[11] The largest victory recorded by Ireland was against Austria in the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier.[23]
The greatest winning margin by balls remaining in T20Is was Austria's victory over Turkey by 104 balls remaining in the ninth match of the 2019 Continental Cup.[25] The largest victory recorded by Ireland is during the 2019 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier against Nigeria when they won by 8 wickets with 83 balls remaining.[26]
A total of 22 matches have ended with chasing team winning by 10 wickets with New Zealand winning by such margins a record three times.[27] Ireland have won a T20I match by this margin on two occasions.[24]
Australia holds the record for the highest successful run chase which they achieved when they scored 245/5 in response to New Zealand's 243/6.[28] The highest successful chase for Ireland was in the third match of the 2019–20 Ireland Tri-Nation Series against Scotland when they scored 194/6 to win by four wickets.[29]
The narrowest winning margin by balls remaining in T20Is is by winning of the last ball which has been achieved 26 times. Ireland has achieve victory of the last ball on two occasions.[32]
A tie can occur when the scores of both teams are equal at the conclusion of play, provided that the side batting last has completed their innings.[22]
There have been 19 ties in T20Is history with Ireland involved in two such games.[6]
A run is the basic means of scoring in cricket. A run is scored when the batsman hits the ball with his bat and with his partner runs the length of 22 yards (20 m) of the pitch.[36]Paul Stirling is the leading Irishman on this list.[37]
A half-century is a score of between 50 and 99 runs. Statistically, once a batsman's score reaches 100, it is no longer considered a half-century but a century..[91]
A bowler's bowling average is the total number of runs they have conceded divided by the number of wickets they have taken.
Afghanistan's Rashid Khan holds the record for the best career average in T20Is with 12.62. Ajantha Mendis, Sri Lankan cricketer, is second behind Rashid with an overall career average of 14.42 runs per wicket. Kevin O'Brien with an average of 19.55 is the highest ranked Irish bowler.[108]
Qualification: 500 balls. Last Updated: 4 September 2021[109]
Best career economy rate
A bowler's economy rate is the total number of runs they have conceded divided by the number of overs they have bowled.[103]
New Zealand's Daniel Vettori, holds the T20I record for the best career economy rate with 5.70. Trent Johnston, with a rate of 6.42 runs per over conceded is the highest Irishmen on the list.[110]
Qualification: 500 balls. Last Updated: 4 September 2021[111]
Best career strike rate
A bowler's strike rate is the total number of balls they have bowled divided by the number of wickets they have taken.[103]
The top bowler with the best T20I career strike rate is Rashid Khan of Afghanistan with strike rate of 12.3 balls per wicket. Kevin O'Brien is the Irish bowler with the lowest strike rate.[112]
Qualification: 500 balls. Last Updated: 4 September 2021[113]
Most four-wickets (& over) hauls in an innings
Pakistan's Umar Gul has taken the most four-wickets (or over) among all the bowlers. Alex Cusack has taken three such hauls, the most for an Irish bowler.[114]
Kasun Rajitha also holds the dubious distinction of most runs conceded in a T20I during the aforementioned match. McCarthy in the above-mentioned spell holds the most runs conceded distinction for Ireland.[123]
Nepal's Sandeep Lamichhane holds the record for most wickets taken in a year when he took 38 wickets in 2022 in 18 T20Is. Josh Little took 32 wickets in 2022, the most for an Irish bowler.[125]
2019 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier at UAE saw records set for the most wickets taken by a bowler in a T20I series when Oman's pacerBilal Khan tool 18 wickets during the series. Mark Adair in the same qualifier took 12 wickets, the most for an Irish bowler in a series.[127]
The wicket-keeper is a specialist fielder who stands behind the stumps being guarded by the batsman on strike and is the only member of the fielding side allowed to wear gloves and leg pads.[129]
Most career dismissals
A wicket-keeper can be credited with the dismissal of a batsman in two ways, caught or stumped. A fair catch is taken when the ball is caught fully within the field of play without it bouncing after the ball has touched the striker's bat or glove holding the bat,[130][131] Laws 5.6.2.2 and 5.6.2.3 state that the hand or the glove holding the bat shall be regarded as the ball striking or touching the bat while a stumping occurs when the wicket-keeper puts down the wicket while the batsman is out of his ground and not attempting a run.[132]MS Dhoni heads the all-time list of taking most dismissals in T20Is as a designated wicket-keeper. Gary Wilson is the leading Irish wicket-keeper on this list.[133]
Quinton de Kock heads the all-time list for most catches taken by the designated wicketkeeper. Gary Wilson is the leading Irish wicket-keeper on this list.[135]
Four wicket-keepers on four occasions have taken five dismissals in a single innings in a T20I.[139]
The feat of taking 4 dismissals in an innings has been achieved by 19 wicket-keepers on 26 occasions with both Wilson and Niall O'Brien achieving it once each.[140]
Netherlands wicket-keeper Scott Edwards holds the T20Is record for the most dismissals taken by a wicket-keeper in a series. He made 13 dismissals during the 2019 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier. Gary Wilson in the same series affected eight dismissals, which is the most for an Irish wicket-keeper in a series.[142]
Caught is one of the nine methods a batsman can be dismissed in cricket.[a] The majority of catches are caught in the slips, located behind the batsman, next to the wicket-keeper, on the off side of the field. Most slip fielders are top order batsmen.[145][146]
South Africa's David Miller holds the record for the most catches in T20Is by a non-wicket-keeper with 75, followed by New Zealand's Martin Guptill with 68. George Dockrell is the leading catcher for Ireland.[147]
The feat of taking 4 catches in an innings has been achieved by 14 fielders on 14 occasions.[149] No Irishmen fielder has achieved this feat. The most is three catches on nine occasions.[150]
The 2019 ICC Men's T20 World Cup Qualifier, which saw Netherlands retain their title,[152] saw the record set for the most catches taken by a non-wicket-keeper in a T20I series. Jersey'sBen Stevens and Namibia'sJJ Smit took 10 catches in the series. Kevin O'Brien in the same series took 8 catches, which is the most for an Irish fielder in a series.[153]
India's Rohit Sharma holds the record for the most T20I matches played with 142. Paul Stirling is the most experienced Irish player, and is one of three players to have represented Ireland in more than 100 T20Is.[155]
MS Dhoni, who led the Indian cricket team from 2007 to 2016, holds the record for the most matches played as captain in T20Is with 72. William Porterfield holds the Irish record.[158]
In cricket, two batsmen are always present at the crease batting together in a partnership. This partnership will continue until one of them is dismissed, retires or the innings comes to a close.
Highest partnerships by wicket
A wicket partnership describes the number of runs scored before each wicket falls. The first wicket partnership is between the opening batsmen and continues until the first wicket falls. The second wicket partnership then commences between the not out batsman and the number three batsman. This partnership continues until the second wicket falls. The third wicket partnership then commences between the not out batsman and the new batsman. This continues down to the tenth wicket partnership. When the tenth wicket has fallen, there is no batsman left to partner so the innings is closed.
An asterisk (*) signifies an unbroken partnership (i.e. neither of the batsmen was dismissed before either the end of the allotted overs or the required score being reached). Last updated: 18 August 2023[173]
Umpiring records
Most matches umpired
An umpire in cricket is a person who officiates the match according to the Laws of Cricket. Two umpires adjudicate the match on the field, whilst a third umpire has access to video replays, and a fourth umpire looks after the match balls and other duties. The records below are only for on-field umpires.
Ahsan Raza of Pakistan holds the record for the most T20I matches umpired with 49. The most experienced Irishmen umpire is Alan Neill with 15 matches officiated so far.[174]
