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Ireland Captain Stirling's Knee Injury Casts Doubt on T20 World Cup Campaign

Ireland captain Paul Stirling suffered a knee injury during the match against Australia, which worsened when he attempted to bat. Batting coach Gary Wilson stated the injury "doesn't look ideal" and the team is awaiting scan results. Ireland, having lost two matches, now likely needs victories in their remaining fixtures against Oman and Zimbabwe to advance. Wilson expressed belief in the team's talent and highlighted the importance of the upcoming games.

Key Points: Paul Stirling Injury Update: Ireland Coach Gary Wilson Concerned

  • Paul Stirling injured knee during catch
  • Aggravated injury while batting
  • Scan results pending for severity
  • Ireland needs wins vs Oman and Zimbabwe
  • Coach Wilson praises Stirling's commitment
2 min read

T20 WC: 'Stirling's injury doesn't look ideal', says Ireland coach Gary Wilson

Ireland's T20 World Cup hopes suffer a blow as captain Paul Stirling suffers a knee injury. Coach Gary Wilson provides an update on the skipper's condition.

"It doesn't look great... I would say it doesn't look ideal. - Gary Wilson"

Colombo, Feb 12

Skipper Paul Stirling's knee injury "doesn't look good" according to batting coach Gary Wilson, as Ireland are waiting for scans to confirm the severity of the injury.

Stirling hurt his right knee when completing a catch early in Ireland's 67-run loss to Australia in the Group B match of the T2o World Cup on Wednesday and aggravated it even further when he attempted to bat, which forced him to retire hurt in the first over of the chase.

"It doesn't look great. He went for a scan this evening, so we'll have to wait for confirmation. But yeah, I would say it doesn't look ideal," Wilson said after the match.

Wilson was pushed on why Stirling had come out to bat during Ireland's run chase and the batting coach said the captain wanted to lead from the front.

"I think credit to him that he knew going out there that he was probably not quite right and he still tried to go out there and get the job done for the team. As I said, unfortunately it wasn't to be tonight," he said.

Ireland lost their second game at the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup on Wednesday. They will now likely require victories in their remaining two group fixtures against Oman and Zimbabwe to reach the next phase and Wilson said the side hadn't given up hope of picking up two wins and moving through to the Super Eights.

"That was why the other day (against Sri Lanka) was so disappointing because actually for 65-70 percent of that game I thought we were the better side. It was just the last five overs of their innings and the last five overs of our innings, and we just couldn't quite put the full game together.

"But there's a lot of talent in that dressing room and a huge amount of belief from us as coaches to them and we have played the two best teams in our group so far. So we've also got two games to come there. They're hugely important for us," Wilson said.

Ireland will next be in action against Oman in Colombo on Saturday.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As a cricket fan, it's always sad to see a player get injured mid-tournament. The group is getting interesting. Ireland still have a chance if they beat Oman and Zimbabwe. The associate nations always bring such passion to the World Cup.
A
Ananya R
This is where team strategy matters. Why risk your captain further when the chase was already steep against Australia? Sometimes "leading from the front" needs to be balanced with pragmatism. Wishing Stirling a speedy recovery.
V
Vikram M
Injuries are part of the game, yaar. But Ireland's fight against Sri Lanka shows they have the talent. Hope they can pull it together for the next two matches. Cricket needs strong associate teams to keep the World Cup competitive.
K
Karthik V
Feel for the Irish team. They always play with heart. The match against Oman is now a must-win. From an Indian perspective, it's good for the sport when smaller teams put up a fight. Makes the group stages more exciting!
M
Michael C
Gary Wilson's analysis seems spot on. They were competitive for large parts. Losing to the two best teams (Aus & SL) is no shame. The belief in the dressing room is crucial now. Saturday's game is their final.

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