Ireland Women have appointed Gaby Lewis as their new captain, replacing Laura Delany, the team’s most experienced player. Delany, who led Ireland for the past eight years, played 207 matches across formats. Although Ireland missed out on the Women’s T20 World Cup, they recently drew a T20I series 1-1 against Sri Lanka in August. Lewis scored a century and earned the Player of the Series award. They also secured a 2-1 victory in the ODI series that followed.
Reflecting on Delany’s influence, Lewis, currently playing club cricket in Melbourne, said, “Dells has always been an inspiration. As we transition to the next phase of our squad’s development, I look forward to continuing alongside her.”
Lewis made her Ireland debut at just 13 and is now their leading run-scorer, amassing 3,742 runs at an average of 28.95 across formats, with two centuries and 21 half-centuries. At 23, she has already captained Ireland 12 times and will now lead them full-time ahead of tours to Bangladesh and India in November and January.
Delighted with her new role, Lewis expressed excitement about the young talent in the squad and their recent competitive performances.
Ireland selector Ciara O’Brien confirmed Delany would continue playing, while head coach Ed Joyce praised her leadership, particularly during the transition from amateur to professional cricket and the challenges of the Covid era. Ireland has named 22-year-old Orla Prendergast as vice-captain after she impressed with both bat and ball during the Sri Lanka series. Joyce praised her leadership during the summer when Lewis and Delany were injured.
With key tours and World Cup qualifiers ahead, Ireland aims to build a strong leadership team for the future.
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