Ireland Women’s leg-spinner Cara Murray is enjoying life at the T20 World Cup, but is determined to work hard to push her game forward and push the team to new heights in coming years.
Murray, 25, recently passed 100 caps for Ireland and is now Ireland Women’s 5th highest wicket-taker, closing in on 4th spot likely in the next month. Playing New Zealand today is the completion of one circle – her first T20I was against the White Ferns in 2018, but she has yet to face the Kiwi’s in the subsequent eight years. Tonight, she will be part of a team eager to record its first-ever T20 World Cup win, and first win over New Zealand in any format.
Speaking after training, Cara Murray said:
“I’ve really enjoyed the trip so far. It’s been a fantastic experience to be part of a World Cup and represent Ireland on such a big stage. The atmosphere at the games has been brilliant, and definitely a highlight has been playing in front of passionate crowds and seeing the support for Irish cricket in both of the games so far.
“Everyone is feeling positive after the performance against England. We were really pleased with how we went about things with the ball and in the field, and we felt we competed well for long periods against one of the top sides in the competition. I think Aimee [Maguire] and Orla [Prendergast] got us off to a brilliant start in the powerplay with the ball, which helped create energy and a real buzz around the group from the outset.
“At the same time, we understand that we’ve got more to give with the bat if we want to get over the line against teams like that at a World Cup. There were plenty of positives to take from the game, but we know there are areas we can improve on as well.
“We feel like we’re not far away from getting that first win.”
Murray has relatively recently made changes to her bowling action:
“The change is more about bowling with a flatter trajectory than bowling quicker – but at the moment, I feel like I’m bowling in really good areas consistently and I’m in a good rhythm, which gives me confidence to be a bit more proactive with how I’m going about things.
“The idea is to make it a little harder for batters to line me up and to keep them under pressure, while still trying to hit my areas and be as consistent as possible.”
Murray had previously expressed an admiration for Shane Warne’s leg-spin approach. Warne spent four seasons with Hampshire and a grandstand in the ground in Southampton has been named after him:
“Shane Warne was someone I looked up to a lot growing up, and like most young leg-spinners, I spent plenty of time watching clips of him and trying to learn from what he did. To be out there playing at Hampshire with the Shane Warne Stand overlooking the ground is a really cool experience. It’s a nice reminder of the impact he had on the game and the inspiration he gave to so many spin bowlers around the world.”
Looking at her career, Murray said:
“It’s something I’m really proud of. Every cricketer dreams of representing their country just once, so to have played over 100 games for Ireland is incredibly special and something I’m very grateful for. When I look back on my career so far, I’m proud of the experiences I’ve had, the people I’ve met, and the chance to be part of some great moments for Irish cricket. At the same time, I still feel like I’ve got plenty more to give and there’s a lot I want to achieve.
“Looking ahead, my main focus is on continuing to contribute to the team, helping Ireland win games, and being as consistent as I can be with my performances. As a group, we want to keep pushing Irish cricket forward, and personally I’m motivated to keep improving and make the most of every opportunity I get in an Ireland shirt.”
Murray just passed Eimear Richardson to become the 5th highest wicket-taker ever for Ireland:
“To be honest, I didn’t actually know that! It’s not something I’ve ever really paid much attention to. It’s obviously nice to hear and it’s something I’m proud of when you consider the number of quality players who have represented Ireland over the years. To be mentioned alongside those names on that list is pretty special. My main focus has always been on contributing to the team and helping Ireland win games whenever I can. I’m always looking to take as many wickets as possible to help us get over the line, and if they come along the way, that’s a bonus.”
THE TOURNAMENT
There are 12 teams participating in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. The teams are split into two groups of six teams listed below. Ireland is in Group 2. The top two teams in each group after the completion of the group matches proceed to the semi-final stage.
| Group 1 | Group 2 |
| Australia | West Indies |
| South Africa | England |
| India | New Zealand |
| Pakistan | Sri Lanka |
| Bangladesh | Ireland |
| Netherlands | Scotland |
SQUAD
The squad is::
- Gaby Lewis (c)
- Orla Prendergast (vc)
- Christina Coulter Reilly
- Alana Dalzell
- Georgina Dempsey
- Amy Hunter
- Arlene Kelly
- Louise Little
- Aimee Maguire
- Jane Maguire
- Lara McBride
- Cara Murray
- Leah Paul
- Rebecca Stokell
- Alice Tector
Further information on the players is available here.
FIXTURES
Women’s T20 World Cup 2026:
- 13 June 2026: Ireland Women v Scotland Women – T20I (Scotland won by 40 runs)
- 16 June 2026: Ireland Women v England Women – T20I (England won by 4 wickets)
- 19 June 2026: Ireland Women v New Zealand Women – T20I (Hampshire; starts 6.30pm)
- 23 June 2026: Ireland Women v Sri Lanka Women – T20I (Bristol; starts 2.30pm)
- 27 June 2026: Ireland Women v West Indies Women – T20I (Bristol; starts 2.30pm)
HOW TO WATCH, FOLLOW OR ATTEND
Watch:
- In Ireland / UK, Sky Sports will show every match
- For other parts of the world, see here
Follow:
- You can see all the match scores throughout the tournament here: https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/womens-t20-worldcup-2026/matches
- You can also see updates and plenty of content on Cricket Ireland’s social media channels: https://cricketireland.ie/get-involved/social-media/
Attend:
- For tickets to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, buy your tickets here.
