NEW DELHI: Ireland captain Paul Stirling has etched his name into the record books, surpassing former India captain Rohit Sharma to become the most-capped player in men's T20I history.

Stirling reached the milestone during Ireland's first T20I against UAE in Dubai, taking his tally to 160 appearances, moving past Rohit 159 matches at the top of the list. However, he failed to make an impact with the bat in his landmark outing, getting dismissed for eight off three balls.

Since making his T20I debut in 2009 against Pakistan, Stirling has been a constant presence at the top of Ireland's order. Known for his aggressive intent in the powerplay, the right-hander has been instrumental in many of Ireland's most memorable T20 performances.

The 35-year-old Stirling also sits fourth on the list of highest run-scorers in T20Is, having amassed 3874 runs so far, including one century and 24 half-centuries, behind Babar Azam, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

Stirling's Ireland teammate George Dockrell is third on the list with 153 appearances, while Afghanistan stalwart Mohammad Nabi (148) and England captain Jos Buttler (144) round out the top five.