Paul Stirling becomes first Ireland batter with 3,500 T20I runs
Ireland captain Paul Stirling has enjoined an elite club. He is now among the five batters with over 3,500 runs in T20I cricket. Stirling reached the landmark with his first run in the second T20I against Pakistan in Dublin. Notably, Stirling became the first Irish batter to get this feat. Stirling went on to score 11 runs before being dismissed by Shaheen Afridi.
Fifth-most runs in T20I cricket
Playing his 139th match in the format, Stirling owns 3,510 runs as his average and strike rate are 27.63 and 135.31, respectively. He owns 23 fifties and a solitary century in the format. Virat Kohli (4,008), Rohit Sharma (3,974), Babar Azam (3,880) and Martin Guptill (3,531) are the others with 3,500-plus runs in the format.
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Stirling is among the 11 players with 2,500-plus T20I runs. His average of 27-plus is only better than Pakistan's Mohammad Hafeez (26.46) in this club. Notably, Stirling is also the second-most capped player in T20I cricket. He is only behind Rohit (151). As per ESPNcricinfo, Stirling owns 581 T20I runs as captain at 26.40 (SR: 140).
Most ducks in Men's T20Is
Stirling has registered 13 ducks in T20I cricket, the most by a batter in men's T20Is. Last year, the 33-year-old went past his compatriot Kevin O'Brien, who recorded 12 ducks in his decade-old T20I career. Only two other players have registered more than 10 ducks in the format. Meanwhile, Andrew Balbirnie (2,240-plus) trails Stirling in terms of runs among Ireland players.
Short of runs in the ongoing series
Stirling has managed just 19 runs from the two matches in the ongoing series against Pakistan. He scored eight runs in the opening T20I. Pacer Naseem Shah dismissed Stirling in that contest.
