Overview
Paul Stirling is an Irish cricketer. He is a batsman by designation, and plays as an opening batsman for the Ireland national team. He also occasionally does bowling, and is a right-arm off-break bowler.
Stirling is the talisman of his team, and is their star performer. He has scored many runs for them, and his worth in the XI in invaluable.
Paul Stirling early life and career
Stirling was born Paul Robert Stirling on 3 September, 1990. From a young age, he was interested in cricket. His family has a very extensive sporting background, so the hallmark of a sportsman was well-drilled into him right from the start.
He showed great promise as a child, and when he became a teenager, he was a prodigy of the game. When he turned 17, he made his international debut against New Zealand in an ODI match. It was a debut to forget, as he was dismissed for four runs.
In 2010, his performances earned him a call-up to the Irish national team. He signed a contract with Cricket Ireland, making him one of only six players who signed a full-time contract with the cricketing board.
Stirling repeatedly expressed that representing Ireland was the important thing to him. His club’s director said, “Paul has been involved with the Middlesex youth sides and Second XI and we are delighted that he has now signed a full time contract for the club. His batting for Ireland in 2009 highlighted his potential.”
Stirling’s contract was a landmark event for Irish cricket. Before his contract signing, players trying to play for Ireland were amateur cricketers. They used to have other jobs, with cricket being their hobby, pastime and secondary work. The contract allowed Stirling and the others to prioritise cricket and focus on the sport, with the aim of getting the team to shine on the international stage.
For his exceptional performances, Stirling was nominated for two ICC awards, those being the “Emerging Player of the Year” and “Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year”. He was the only player to be nominated from a non-Test playing nation.
Stirling continued to perform at a high level. He scored his first century for Middlesex, hitting 109 runs off 81 balls and orchestrating a win over Derbyshire. In 2012, he played in an ODI against England, and then played the Intercontinental cup. He scored a fantastic half-century that helped Ireland win, and then scored his second century days later.
His T20 record became exceptional in later years, as he bulldozed his way into the list of the top ten run-scorers. In 2018, Ireland made history by playing their very first Test match, competing against Pakistan. Stirling was part of that team, and created a little bit of history himself.
At the beginning of 2019, Stirling was presented with a central contract by Cricket Ireland along with eighteen other players. In July, he became the first Irish batsman to score 4,000+ runs in ODI cricket. He was then awarded with a full-time contract, and was later named vice-captain of his country’s team.
Paul Stirling family
Stirling was born to a family based in Belfast, Ireland. His family is a sporting family, and has been a rock for him throughout his career.
Father
Stirling’s father’s name is Brian Stirling. He was a primary school headmaster. He was also a big sportsperson, and played cricket for multiple teams in his younger days. The man was also an international Rugby Union referee.
Mother
Ms. Stirling has been a major source of support for her children. She supported Paul throughout, and has been with him through all his career highs and lows.
Brother
Paul has an elder brother named Richard Brian Stirling. He also plays cricket, and has represented their country in the Under19s World Cup 2005-06.
What is Paul Stirling net worth in 2022
Being an explosive cricketer and the talisman of his team, Stirling’s exploits with Ireland have seen them push above their weight. He is a quality player who rises to the big occasion, and is hence an invaluable asset in Irish cricket.
Stirling’s net worth in 2022 is estimated to be between $1 million and $3 million. It has stemmed mainly from his cricketing career, and also the odd endorsements and sponsorship deals.
With some more years left in cricket and a treasure trove of experience, one can expect his net worth to rise or at the very worst dip slowly instead of quickly.
Expectations of Paul Stirling net worth
Stirling has done a lot to achieve the aforementioned net worth and valuation, and the choices he has made will be key to determining its range. His exploits with the bat have certainly been steps in the right direction.
He has been invited to play for various domestic cricket leagues. He was called up to play for the Kandahar team for the first edition of the Afghanistan Premier League tournament in 2018. Paarl Rocks picked him to play in the first-ever Mzansi Super League.
Stirling joined the 2020 Vitality T20 Blast at the beginning of 2020, signing for Northamptonshire. Later that year, he graced the Lanka Premier League with his presence, and 2021 saw him join Islamabad United as a replacement player.
As far as his national team career is concerned, Stirling is showing no signs of slowing down. When he debuted, Ireland was not even a Test-playing nation. He has helped address that flaw, and his country is now a regular in international Test cricket.
With Ireland now on the cricketing map thanks in no small part to Stirling, the next generation of aspiring cricketers from the country will take their interest seriously.
Stirling will be one of the role models for the next bunch of Irish cricketers, and his work has laid the foundation for them to take over and bring pride to the legacy of Ireland.
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