Kevin O'Brien (cricketer)

Kevin O'Brien
O'Brien in 2012
Personal information
Full name
Kevin Joseph O'Brien
Born (1984-03-04) 4 March 1984 (age 40)
Dublin, Ireland
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight arm medium-fast
RoleAll-rounder
Relations
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 6)11 May 2018 v Pakistan
Last Test24 July 2019 v England
ODI debut (cap 10)13 June 2006 v England
Last ODI7 June 2021 v Netherlands
ODI shirt no.22
T20I debut (cap 6)2 August 2008 v Scotland
Last T20I22 October 2021 v Namibia
T20I shirt no.22
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2009Nottinghamshire
2011Gloucestershire
2012Somerset
2013Rangpur Riders
2013–2021Leinster Lightning
2013–2014Surrey
2013–2014Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel
2014/15–2015/16Northern Districts
2015–2016Leicestershire
2018Kandahar Knights
2022Munster Reds
Head coaching information
YearsTeam
2024–presentBiratnagar Kings
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI T20I FC
Matches 3 153 110 47
Runs scored 258 3,619 1,973 2,039
Batting average 51.60 29.42 21.21 37.07
100s/50s 1/1 2/18 1/5 2/14
Top score 118 142 124 171*
Balls bowled 60 4,296 917 2,745
Wickets 0 114 58 47
Bowling average – 32.68 19.81 27.74
5 wickets in innings – 0 0 1
10 wickets in match – 0 0 0
Best bowling – 4/13 4/45 5/39
Catches/stumpings 0/– 67/– 40/– 36/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 23 February 2022

Kevin Joseph O'Brien (born 4 March 1984) is an Irish former international cricketer who played for Leinster and Railway Union Cricket Club. On 16 August 2022, he announced his retirement from international cricket.

He scored the fastest (later surpassed) century in 50-over World Cup, coming from 50 balls against England on 2 March 2011.[1] O'Brien was one of the eleven cricketers to play in Ireland's first ever Test match, against Pakistan, in May 2018, scoring the first Test century for Ireland men's cricket[2] and becoming the first sportsperson from Ireland to represent his country in 300 matches.[3]

O'Brien is an aggressive right-handed middle to lower order batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler. He made his One Day International (ODI) debut in 2006 in Ireland's inaugural match. O'Brien played for Nottinghamshire in 2009, and in 2010 was awarded a contract with Cricket Ireland, making him one of six players with a full-time contract with the board. He was the first player for Ireland to take 100 wickets in ODIs.[4]

In December 2018, he was one of nineteen players to be awarded a central contract by Cricket Ireland for the 2019 season.[5][6] In January 2020, he was one of nineteen players to be awarded a central contract from Cricket Ireland,[7] the first year in which all contracts were awarded on a full-time basis.[8] In June 2021, O'Brien announced his retirement from ODI cricket,[9] to allow him to focus on T20 and Test cricket.[10]

  1. ^ "Kevin O'Brien hits fastest ever world cup hundred". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  2. ^ "IRE 301/7 (113.5 ov, TE Kane 7*, KJ O'Brien 102*, Faheem Ashraf 0/51) - Live. Match Summary". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  3. ^ "'Definitely some nerves, but a lot of relief as well' – Ed Joyce". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  4. ^ "Teenage debutant Mujeeb helps Afghanistan rout Ireland". The Times of India. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  5. ^ "19 men's central player contracts finalised ahead of busy 2019". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  6. ^ "Ireland women to receive first professional contracts". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  7. ^ "Gareth Delany, Shane Getkate amongst 19 men's central player contracts offered ahead of a busy 2020". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  8. ^ "Delany, Getkate highlight Ireland men's central contracts list for 2020". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  9. ^ "Kevin O'Brien announces ODI retirement". CricBuzz. 18 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  10. ^ "Kevin O'Brien announces retirement from ODI cricket". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2021.