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Ireland allrounder Simi Singh seriously ill

Simi Singh broke the 225-run opening stand with Quinton de Kock's wicket Sportsfile via Getty Images

Ireland allrounder Simi Singh is seriously ill, the Irish board said on Thursday.

Singh, 37, has played 35 ODIs and 53 T20Is for Ireland, bowling spin and batting in the lower-middle order. He last turned out for Ireland at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, and his last competitive cricket came a year ago, for Leinster Lightning in the Inter-Pro List A tournament.

"We have received shocking news that our friend Simi Singh is currently dealing with life-threatening health circumstances," a statement signed by Cricket Ireland CEO Warren Deutrom read. "On behalf of Cricket Ireland, and indeed the wider Irish cricket community, I would like to extend our best wishes and prayers to Simi as he takes on this new fight.

"After moving to Ireland, Simi has become a central figure within Irish cricket - whether at international, provincial or club level - he has shown a desire and drive to succeed. We now hope that this same drive will see him come through the current circumstances."

The details of Singh's illness are yet to be confirmed.

Singh has 39 ODI wickets at an average of 25.92 and an economy of just 3.99, and 44 T20I wickets at 27.84 with an equally commendable short-format economy of 7.61. He had a particularly impressive 2021 in ODI cricket, taking 19 wickets at 20.15 and hitting his highest score in the format: 100 not out off 91 in a big chase against South Africa (Ireland fell 70 short chasing 347). His strong numbers eventually put him in ESPNcricinfo's men's ODI Team of the Year that year.