On the eve of Ireland’s final game of the summer, Kevin O’Brien has announced his retirement from international cricket – after 15 years and 389 games.

The most capped Irish sportsperson had hoped for one last farewell at this year’s T20 World Cup but having been ignored for selection since last year’s qualifying tournament, O’Brien has accepted his illustrious career is over.

O’Brien, now 38, will always be remembered for scoring what is still the fastest World Cup century, off 50 balls, to give Ireland their greatest triumph, beating England at the 2011 World Cup in Bangalore.

He is also the only Ireland player to score a century in all three formats, hitting 118 in their inaugural Test against Pakistan in 2018 and a year later he completed the set with 124 in the T20I against Hong Kong in Oman.

Since his debut against Sussex in June 2006, he has played in all three Test matches plus 153 ODIs, and 145 T20s.

In his ‘thank-you' statement O’Brien picked out “in particular (Ireland coaches) Adi Birrell for putting faith in me and giving me the opportunity to play international cricket and also Phil Simmons for the eight very enjoyable and successful years we shared together with the national team.

“To the fans, not just in Ireland but around the world, I hope you enjoyed watching the way I played cricket ... so thank you for the incredible support over the years.“

Ireland captain Andrew Balbirnie said: “I was very lucky to play with one of Ireland’s greatest sportspeople who was always there to support me from my first cap to when I became captain. Cricket in this country owes a lot to what Kev achieved on and off the field and has left the game in a better place.”

Chairman of selectors Andrew White, who played more than 160 games with O’Brien in the Ireland team, said: “To represent your country more times than anyone else has in any sport is testament to his ability, his dedication and his will to win.

“Getting us over the line with Trent (Johnston) in Jamaica (against Pakistan) in 2007 often gets overlooked in the list of his great moments but as we know it paved the way. And it was fitting that Kevin was part of the Ireland team that played in the Test match at Lord’s against England in 2019.”

O’Brien, who scored 9,048 runs (third in Ireland’s all-time list), took 276 wickets (third) and 181 catches (first), also confirmed he will now move into coaching and grow the Kevin O’Brien Coaching Academy.

There are certain to be many more tributes at Stormont today when Ireland face Afghanistan in the fifth and deciding T20I (3.30pm) with George Dockrell stressing it would be huge moment if Ireland could claim a series win.

“They are a very good team and it’s fantastic to be playing them in our backyard, testing ourselves against some brilliant bowlers, the likes of Rashid and Mujeeb, and their power-hitters who are putting our bowlers under pressure,” said the leading batsman in the series who has not been dismissed in the first four matches.

“It’s exactly what we want to finish our summer and leading into the World Cup, and a chance to beat Afghanistan in a series doesn’t always come round so it’s pretty exciting and a big opportunity for us.”

The dates have been confirmed for Ireland’s Women’s Championship fixtures – seven three-match series of ODIs with 22 T20I to be tagged on.

Ireland will host Australia Women next July, Sri Lanka and England in August and September 2024 and have away series to Pakistan this November, West Indies next June, and Bangladesh and India in December 2024 into January 2025.

It was also confirmed yesterday that Ireland Women will meet Scotland in a three-match T20 series at The Grange, Edinburgh from September 5-8.

James McCollum has been ruled out of the rest of Ireland Academy’s game against the England Under 19s in Loughborugh with concussion, after being hit on the back of the head in the first session.

It happened when the bowler threw the ball back towards the stumps but, instead, hit the Waringstown batsman who immediately retired hurt. Ireland Academy finished a rain-interrupted first day of three on 236 for four, Cade Carmichael made 92.