“Challenging yourself against the world's best”: Irish all-rounder Curtis Campher’s take on what is driving Irish cricket forward

For years, Ireland's biggest victories were celebrated as giant-killing moments. Wins over Pakistan, England and other Full Member nations helped put Irish cricket on the global map. But for Ireland all-rounder Curtis Campher, the team's ambition has evolved. The goal is no longer to produce the occasional upset—it is to compete consistently with the world's best.

"It's tricky to pinpoint one or two things," Campher said when asked what has driven Ireland's rise over the last few years, which have seen Test wins against the likes of Zimbabwe and Afghanistan and white ball victories against England and even India, in the recent, historic T20I series win in Belfast.

"But I think the foundations that the past players had left for us—with Kevin (O’Brien) and Niall (O’Brien) and guys like Gary Wilson, even before that, who played county cricket and then came back and gave everything to the Irish game," Campher, a true all-rounder further said.

Those players built the platform. Campher's generation is building on it.

Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Campher represented South Africa at Under-19 level before choosing to pursue his international career with Ireland through his Irish heritage. Since making his ODI debut against England in 2020, where he announced himself with an unbeaten 59, he has developed into one of Ireland's most influential cricketers. A genuine seam-bowling all-rounder, Campher has become known for delivering under pressure, whether with crucial middle-order runs or timely breakthroughs with the ball.

His career has already featured several landmark moments. He became the first Irish player to take a T20I hat-trick and later made global headlines by claiming a double hat-trick (four wickets in four consecutive deliveries) against the Netherlands during the 2021 T20 World Cup – which made him the first and till date the only cricketer to claim a double hat-trick in a T20 World Cup. In 2023, he added another feather to his cap by scoring his maiden Test century against Sri Lanka in Galle, underlining his ability to perform across all formats.

As one of the seniors and pillars of the current Irish set-up, Campher feels the biggest propellant that’s driving Irish cricket forward is more regular, high-quality international exposure.

"The transition to guys playing Full Test nations all the time, back-to-back, has been a big thing for us," he explained. "It's shifted now from just being an upset—from 2008 when the lads had that massive game against Pakistan and put us on the map."

Regular opportunities against elite opposition, he believes, have transformed the team more than anything else.

"It's shifted now to allow us to get more games against high-quality opposition. I think that's been the difference, really, is going around playing 12 months a year and challenging yourself against the world's best," the 27-year-old who will be turning up for the Amsterdam Flames in the ETPL shortly further said.

Those experiences have helped Ireland evolve into a side capable of competing with any opposition on their day. Victories over teams such as England, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe, along with memorable performances against several Full Members, have reinforced the belief that Ireland belongs on the biggest stage rather than simply aiming to cause upsets.

Campher's own journey reflects that evolution. Calm under pressure, tactically astute and capable of influencing games with both bat and ball, he has established himself as one of Ireland's most dependable match-winners. Those qualities made him an obvious choice for the Amsterdam Flames, who selected him during the inaugural European T20 Premier League Draft, as their first draft pick. In fact since the Flames were number one in the pre-determined picking order, Campher became the very first player ever to be picked at an ETPL Player Draft.

Joining a squad featuring international stars including Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Tim David, Paul Stirling and Brandon McMullen, Campher is expected to play a key all-round role for the Flames. His versatility, leadership and international experience make him exactly the type of player franchises value in modern T20 cricket.

His selection also reflects the vision behind the European T20 Premier League—bringing together world-class international talent with Europe's finest cricketers to accelerate the growth of the game across Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands. Few players embody that vision better than Campher, whose own career has grown alongside the rise of Irish cricket.

For Campher, the journey is far from over. Ireland is no longer satisfied with producing memorable one-off victories. The ambition now is to challenge the world's best on a consistent basis, series after series.

The foundations were laid by those who came before. Now, players like Curtis Campher are helping Irish cricket write its next chapter—one built not on surprises and ‘upsets’, but on sustained excellence. And as he prepares to represent the Amsterdam Flames in the inaugural ETPL season, Campher will carry that same belief and confidence onto yet another glittering stage.