Ireland captain Paul Stirling will miss the rest of the T20 World Cup due to a knee injury he sustained against Australia on February 12.
Stirling was fielding when he made a remarkable catch off Josh Inglis. However, he landed awkwardly on his knee on a hard surface and had to leave the game. Vice-captain Lorcan Tucker took over leadership.
Later, Stirling told the team management he was ready to bat and opened with Ross Adair. After hitting a ball, his knee gave out, and he had to retire hurt.
“Paul Stirling underwent an assessment and a scan after the Australian match, which revealed ligament damage. He will not participate in the rest of the T20 World Cup. Paul will return home for rest and rehabilitation ahead of the summer season,” said Graeme West, Director of High Performance at Cricket Ireland.
“To replace Paul, we have called up Sam Topping, who is in Chennai and can provide immediate cover. He has been training with the Northern Knights and is familiar with the conditions in Sri Lanka. His skills offer flexibility in the squad, especially since Ben Calitz is also dealing with a hand injury from the last match.”
The 20-year-old left-handed opener is currently in Chennai at an off-season training camp with the Northern Knights. He is also a skilled wicketkeeper and scored 217 runs at an average of 31.00 in T20s last season, with a highest score of 83 off 48 balls. He has not yet played at the International level.
