Matt Hollard
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Matthew Kyle Hollard | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 14 April 1999 Boksburg, South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm medium-fast | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Bowler | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025/26 | Limpopo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025–present | Leinster Lightning | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 26 June 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Matthew Kyle Hollard (born 14 April 1999) is a South African-born Irish cricketer.[1] Hollard is a right-handed batsman who bowls right-arm medium-fast. He was born in Boksburg, South Africa.[2][3]
By 2024, Hollard was playing club cricket in Ireland for Balbriggan.[4] In 2025, Cricket Leinster named him in Leinster Lightning squads for the inter-provincial season.[5] In the Inter-Provincial Limited Over Cup that season, he took 5 wickets for 62 runs against the Northern Knights, earning the player-of-the-match award.[6][7] He also helped Balbriggan win its first Irish Senior Cup, taking the final wicket in the victory over Leinster.[8]
Hollard also played first-class cricket in South Africa for Limpopo, making his debut against Easterns in September 2025.[2] In May 2026, Cricket Ireland named him in the Raiders squad for the Emerald Challenge, a first-class fixture used as part of the senior side's preparation for the home Test against New Zealand.[9] In March 2026, Cricket Ireland awarded him a central contract due to his domestic performances.[10]
In June 2026, Hollard received his first senior Ireland call-up for the Twenty20 International series against India.[11] He made his T20I debut at Stormont on 26 June 2026 and was named player of the match after taking 3 wickets for 28 runs, including the dismissals of Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer, as Ireland recorded their first ever win over India in any format.[12][13]
References
[edit]- ^ Johns, Nathan (26 June 2026). "'A small step in a big journey' for Moondra, Hollard and Ireland".
- ^ a b "Matt Hollard profile and biography". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
- ^ "Two debutants, born in South Africa and India, bring down world champions India". The Indian Express. 27 June 2026. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
- ^ "IBI Corporate Finance Championship Preview: August 30th". Cricket Leinster. 29 August 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
- ^ "Leinster Lightning Squad for IP50 in Belfast Wed 20.8.2025". Cricket Leinster. 18 August 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
- ^ "Leinster beat Knights, Leinster won by 6 wickets (with 95 balls remaining)". ESPNcricinfo. 20 August 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
- ^ "Leinster Lightning double up again!". Cricket Leinster. 31 August 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
- ^ "Weekend Review – Irish Senior Cup Win!". Balbriggan Cricket Club. 13 May 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
- ^ "Emerald squads". Cricket Ireland. 13 May 2026. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
- ^ "Central contracts awarded". Cricket Ireland. 27 March 2026. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
- ^ "T20I captaincy confirmed". Cricket Ireland. 22 June 2026. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
- ^ "Tucker, Delany, Hollard and Moondra shine in Ireland's historic win over India". ESPNcricinfo. 26 June 2026. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
- ^ "Ireland make history with stunning T20 victory over world champions India". Irish Examiner. 26 June 2026. Retrieved 29 June 2026.