Andrew Balbirnie

Andrew Balbirnie (born 28 December 1990) is an Irish cricketer, the current captain of the Ireland cricket team in Test cricket. Balbirnie is a right-handed batsman and an occasional wicket-keeper. He was born in Dublin and was educated at St. Andrew's College.[1] He was one of the 11 cricketers to play in Ireland's first ever Test match, against Pakistan, in May 2018. In December 2018, he was one of 19 players to be awarded a central contract by Cricket Ireland for the 2019 season.[2][3]

Andrew Balbirnie
Balbirnie in 2022
Personal information
Full name
Andrew Balbirnie
Born (1990-12-28) 28 December 1990
Dublin, Ireland
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm off break
RoleBatsman
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 2)11 May 2018 v Pakistan
Last Test1 June 2023 v England
ODI debut (cap 35)5 July 2010 v Scotland
Last ODI12 May 2023 v Bangladesh
ODI shirt no.63
T20I debut (cap 35)19 June 2015 v Scotland
Last T20I20 August 2023 v India
T20I shirt no.63
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2011–2015Middlesex (squad no. 15)
2011–2013Cardiff MCCU
2013–presentLeinster Lightning
2020–2021Glamorgan
2023Khulna Titans
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI T20I FC
Matches 7 101 89 38
Runs scored 318 2,907 1,857 1,525
Batting average 22.71 32.30 23.34 28.24
100s/50s 0/3 8/15 0/8 2/9
Top score 95 145* 83 205*
Balls bowled 6 60 – 627
Wickets 0 2 – 13
Bowling average – 34.00 – 20.15
5 wickets in innings – 0 – 0
10 wickets in match – 0 – 0
Best bowling – 1/26 – 4/23
Catches/stumpings 4/– 32/– 32/– 34/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 6 July 2023

In November 2019, Balbirnie was named as the captain of Ireland's Test and ODI team, after William Porterfield stepped down.[4][5] Later the same month, he was also named as the captain of Ireland's Twenty20 International (T20I) team, replacing Gary Wilson.[6] In January 2020, he was one of 19 players to be awarded a central contract from Cricket Ireland,[7] the first year in which all contracts were awarded on a full-time basis.[8]

Early and domestic career

Balbirnie has represented Ireland at U-19 level, playing nine Youth One Day Internationals.[9] In 2009, he captained Ireland's Under-19 World Cup Qualifier winning squad. Victory in the tournament allowed Ireland Under-19's to take part in the 2010 U-19 Cricket World Cup.

On 15 August 2017, Balbirnie scored his maiden first-class century, when Ireland played the Netherlands in the 2015–17 ICC Intercontinental Cup.[10]

Balbirnie was the leading run-scorer in the 2018 Inter-Provincial Trophy tournament, with 262 runs in six matches.[11] He was also the leading run-scorer for Leinster Lightning in the 2018 Inter-Provincial Championship, with 302 runs in four matches.[12]

In July 2019, Balbirnie was selected to play for the Dublin Chiefs in the inaugural edition of the Euro T20 Slam cricket tournament.[13][14] However, the following month the tournament was cancelled.[15]

International career

Balbirnie was a member of Ireland's 2010 ICC World Cricket League Division One winning team. During the tournament, he made his List A debut for Ireland, in what was also his debut One Day International which came against Scotland. He played three further One Day Internationals during the tournament.[16]

In January 2015, Balbirnie was named in Ireland's 15 man squad for the 2015 Cricket World Cup.[17][18][19]

Balbirnie made his Twenty20 International debut against Scotland on 19 June 2015, although no play was possible due to rain.[20]

In February 2016, Balbirnie was named in Ireland's 15 man squad for the 2016 T20 World Cup.[21][22]

Balbirnie was part of the Ireland A team which toured Bangladesh in October 2017 to play one first-class match and five limited overs matches against the Bangladesh A team.[23]

In May 2018, Balbirnie was named in a 14-man squad for Ireland's first ever Test match, which was played against Pakistan later the same month.[24][25] He made his Test debut for Ireland, against Pakistan, on 11 May 2018.[26][27] He was dismissed for a pair,[28] therefore becoming the forty-fourth batsman, and first for Ireland, to get a pair on debut in Test cricket.[29][30]

In January 2019, Balbirnie was named in Ireland's squad for their one-off Test against Afghanistan in Dehradun, India.[31][32] In May 2019, in the opening match of the 2019 Ireland Tri-Nation Series against the West Indies, Balbirnie played in his 100th international match for Ireland.[33]

In September 2019, Balbirnie was named in Ireland's squad for the 2019 ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier tournament in the United Arab Emirates.[34]

In November 2019, Balbirnie was named as Ireland's all formats captain.[35][36]

On 10 July 2020, Balbirnie was named in Ireland's 21-man squad to travel to England to start training behind closed doors for the ODI series against the England cricket team.[37][38] In the third and final match of the series, which Ireland won by seven wickets, Balbirnie scored his 2,000th run in ODI cricket.[39]

On 13 July 2021, Balbirnie led Ireland to their first ever ODI victory against South Africa.[40][41] He also made his seventh ODI century in the match, scoring 102 off 117 deliveries before getting dismissed by Kagiso Rabada.[42][43][44] In September 2021, Balbirnie was named the captain of Ireland's provisional squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.[45]

On 26 October 2022, Balbirnie scored a T20I half-century, scoring 62 off 47 deliveries to lead Ireland to a victory over England in the 2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.[46]

On 4 July 2023, Balbirnie has stepped down from his captaincy in limited-overs cricket, after Ireland failed to qualify for the 2023 World Cup.[47]

References
  1. "Player profile: Andrew Balbirnie". CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  2. "19 men's central player contracts finalised ahead of busy 2019". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  3. "Ireland women to receive first professional contracts". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  4. "Will Porterfield steps down as Ireland captain, Andrew Balbirnie named as replacement". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  5. "Andrew Balbirnie Named Ireland Test And ODI Captain | Wisden Cricket". Wisden. 8 November 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  6. "Gary Wilson replaced by Andy Balbirnie as Ireland's T20I captain". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  7. "Gareth Delany, Shane Getkate amongst 19 men's central player contracts offered ahead of a busy 2020". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  8. "Delany, Getkate highlight Ireland men's central contracts list for 2020". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  9. "Youth One-Day International Matches played by Andrew Balbirnie". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  10. "Balbirnie ton puts Ireland in command". International Cricket Council. 15 August 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  11. "Cricket Ireland Inter-Provincial Twenty20 Trophy, 2018: Most runs". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  12. "Cricket Ireland Inter-Provincial Championship, 2018 - Leinster Lightning: Batting and bowling averages". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  13. "Eoin Morgan to represent Dublin franchise in inaugural Euro T20 Slam". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  14. "Euro T20 Slam Player Draft completed". Cricket Europe. Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  15. "Inaugural Euro T20 Slam cancelled at two weeks' notice". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  16. "One-Day International Matches played by Andrew Balbirnie". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  17. "Ireland Squad - Ireland Squad - ICC Cricket World Cup, 2015 Squad". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  18. "World Cup 2015 squads". BBC Sport. 5 December 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  19. Post, Irish. "Ireland name 2015 Cricket World Cup squad". The Irish Post. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  20. "Scotland tour of Ireland, 2nd T20I: Ireland v Scotland at Bready, Jun 19, 2015". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  21. "Ireland Squad - Ireland Squad - World T20, 2016 Squad". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  22. "Porterfield to lead experienced Ireland squad for World T20". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  23. "Ireland 'A' tour of Bangladesh". Cricbuzz. Retrieved 1 October 2017.
  24. "Ireland announce 14-man squad for historic first Test against Pakistan". Belfast Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  25. "Ireland omit George Dockrell for historic first men's Test against Pakistan". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  26. "Only Test, Pakistan tour of Ireland, England and Scotland at Dublin, May 11-15 2018". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  27. "Ireland win toss, opt to bowl in historic Test against Pakistan". Geo TV. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  28. "Brave Ireland battling to keep their Test debut alive against Pakistan". Belfast Telegraph. 14 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  29. "Amir's double strike disrupts Ireland's revival". CricBuzz. 14 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  30. "Statistics, Statsguru: Test Matches, Batting Records". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  31. "Ireland announce squads for Afghanistan series". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
  32. "Stirling to captain Ireland T20 squad, new faces named for forthcoming Oman and Afghanistan series". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
  33. "West Indian openers break records in win over Ireland". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  34. "Squad announced for Oman Series and ICC Men's T20 World Cup Qualifier". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  35. "Andrew Balbirnie Named Ireland Test And ODI Captain | Wisden Cricket". Wisden. 8 November 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  36. "Gary Wilson replaced by Andy Balbirnie as Ireland's T20I captain". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  37. "Curtis Campher, Jonathan Garth the new faces as Ireland name 21-man squad for England ODIs". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  38. "Ireland names expanded training squad ahead of ODI series against England". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  39. "Stirling-Balbirnie partnership gets Ireland off the mark in CWC Super League". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  40. "Balbirnie leads Ireland to first ever win over South Africa". The Daily Star. 14 July 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  41. "Brilliant Andy Balbirnie leads Ireland to first-ever win over South Africa | Cricket News - Times of India". The Times of India. 14 July 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  42. "Full Scorecard of Ireland vs South Africa 2nd ODI 2021 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  43. "Andy Balbirnie century sets up Ireland's upset against South Africa". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  44. "Balbirnie ton powers Ireland to first ever ODI win over South Africa". www.icc-cricket.com. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  45. "Ireland names 18-player provisional squad for T20 World Cup". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  46. "Ireland stun England in rainy Melbourne". ESPNcricinfo. 26 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  47. "Balbirnie steps down as Ireland ODI and T20I captain". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
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