Ireland duo Paul Stirling and Simi Singh named on ICC ODI Team of the Year

Ireland internationals Paul Stirling and Simi Singh have both been named by the International Cricket Council in the men's ODI Team of the Year.

Stirling, who last week stood in as Ireland captain and led the side to an historic series win over West Indies, made 705 runs in 2021 in ODI matches at an average of 79.66. This included three centuries and two half-centuries, and he finished top run-scorer worldwide in the format.

Singh, who excelled with his off-spin bowling and made several valuable contributions with the bat, picked up 19 wickets in ODI matches at an average of 20.15, which included one five-wicket haul. With the bat he hit 280 runs at 46.66, including a century against South Africa at Malahide which went down in the record books as the first-ever century by a batter coming in at eight in ODI cricket.

Stirling said: "It's a nice way to close the chapter on 2021 being named in this team of the year. It was pleasing that the hard work put in with Graham Ford has paid off. You are always looking to improve as an international sportsman so to have probably my most successful year in an Ireland shirt to date was extremely satisfying and gives me a benchmark to try and surpass in years to come.

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“I would say the highlight for me was scoring so heavily in one tour in January. I had just come from Sri Lanka where I had really struggled for form and rhythm so to be able to turn that around in a few weeks has given me a lot of confidence when future runs are hard to come by. Of course the T20I hundred at Bready against Zimbabwe was a memorable one too, it’s always nice being able to raise the bat in front of your home support.”

Singh said: “It’s great to be recognised at the highest level and to be named among the top players in the world is a surreal feeling. Wining against South Africa, scoring my maiden ODI ton, taking my maiden ODI five-for, hitting a maiden ODI fifty in the same year was pretty special personally.”

Ireland international Gaby Lewis was yesterday named in the women's T20I Team of the Year.

Lewis made 325 runs in 2021 in T20I matches at an average of 40.62. This included registering the first-ever century in the format for Ireland Women with an unbeaten 105 against Germany.

Despite still only being 20 years old, Lewis has played 48 T20 internationals for Ireland since her debut in 2014. Her form and talent saw her breakthrough into white-ball franchise cricket this year for the first time, being part of the Southern Brave team that won the inaugural The Hundred competition, and joining the Southern Vipers for the latter part of their Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy campaign.

Lewis is the daughter of former Ireland men's captain Alan Lewis, and her sister Robyn has also appeared at international level for Ireland.

Lewis said: “It’s very humbling to be recognised alongside some of the world’s best players in the T20 format. While it is pleasing personally, international cricket is a team game and we have a great squad in the Irish set up – the players I play alongside deserve as much credit for their commitment and performance over the last year.

“This has been a big year for Irish women’s cricket, not only were there three series wins – home and away – but we have qualified for the first time for the ICC Women’s Championship. We’re all looking forward to 2022, which will hopefully be a new chapter in our sport.”

ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year: Paul Stirling (Ireland), Janneman Malan (South Africa), Babar Azam (Pakistan, capt), Fakhar Zaman (Pakistan), Rassie van der Dussen (South Africa), Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh), Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh, wkts), Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka), Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh), Simi Singh (Ireland), Dushmantha Chameera (Sri Lanka).