Simi Singh retires after Ireland journey from teenage arrival to world record

Simi Singh has announced his retirement from professional cricket.

The 39-year-old spin-bowling all-rounder, who can both bat and bowl spin, confirmed the decision on 30 September 2026. Cricket Ireland published the announcement under the title “Moving forward” Cricket Ireland.

Singh moved from India to Ireland in 2006 at the age of 19. He made his Ireland debut against New Zealand in May 2017 and became the first native of India to play for Ireland BBC Sport.

He went on to represent Ireland 90 times up until 2022. That run made him a regular through a busy period for Irish cricket, across one-day internationals, the 50-over format, and T20 internationals, the 20-over format.

His most famous innings came against South Africa in Malahide. Batting at number eight, deep down the order, he scored a century. It remains the world record for an ODI hundred from that position.

Singh was named in the 2021 men’s ODI team of the year. His best bowling return was 5-10 against the UAE in Abu Dhabi. He took 39 wickets in 34 matches at an economy rate of 3.99, under four runs per over conceded.

Late in his career he added leg-spin, the wrist-spin style that turns away from right-handers, to extend his time at international level. He played in each of Ireland’s four group-stage games at the 2022 T20 World Cup.

In 2024 he underwent a successful liver transplant to save his life. Singh said he had arrived in Ireland as a 19-year-old with a dream of playing international cricket and described the journey as surreal.

Ireland head coach Gary Wilson is a former team-mate of Singh. Wilson played alongside him during the early part of that Ireland career.

What makes this stand out is the arc. A teenager arrives with little more than ambition. Nine years later he wears green. Five years after that he holds a world record and a place among the year’s best one-day players, then fights back from serious illness to close his career on his own terms.