Ireland Captain Paul Stirling Ruled Out of T20 World Cup with Knee Injury, Sam Topping Named Replacement
Ireland’s T20 World Cup campaign has suffered a devastating blow with captain Paul Stirling ruled out of the remainder of the tournament due to a knee ligament injury sustained during their match against Australia on Thursday.
The 35-year-old opener injured himself while taking a diving catch to dismiss Josh Inglis in the seventh over, landing awkwardly on hard ground. Though he initially handed captaincy duties to deputy Lorcan Tucker and attempted to bat in the run chase, his knee buckled after just a few steps, forcing him to retire hurt.
Scans confirmed ligament damage, leaving Cricket Ireland with no choice but to send their veteran leader home for rest and rehabilitation ahead of the home summer.
Replacing Stirling is Sam Topping, a 20-year-old uncapped wicketkeeper-batter currently training in Chennai with the Northern Knights squad. Topping scored 217 runs at a strike rate of 140 in his domestic T20 season and provides crucial cover, particularly with Ben Calitz nursing a hand injury.
Graeme West, Cricket Ireland’s Director of High Performance, confirmed the move: “To replace Paul, we have called up Sam Topping, who is able to provide immediate cover as he is a short flight away in Chennai. The skill set he offers provides cover across a number of areas within the squad.”
Ireland now face a battle to keep their World Cup hopes alive without their most experienced campaigner.
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