Ben Calitz
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Benjamin Fredeman Calitz | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 6 July 2002 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Left-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm slow | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Wicket-keeper-batter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T20I debut (cap 62) | 21 September 2025 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last T20I | 11 February 2026 v Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Munster Reds | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024–present | Northern Knights | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: ESPNcricinfo, 19 February 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Benjamin Fredeman Calitz (born 6 July 2002) is a Canadian-born Irish cricketer. Calitz played youth cricket in Canada, representing the country in the 2020 Under-19 Cricket World Cup, but moved to Ireland in 2022 and became eligible to play for the Irish team in 2025. He made his Twenty20 International debut for Ireland in September 2025 and was named in Ireland's squad for the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup.
Early life and career
Calitz was born in Vancouver where his South African father, also named Ben, worked as a rugby coach. While growing up, he also spent time living in both South Africa and Namibia.[1] Calitz played for Canada's under-19 cricket team,[2] and was in their squad for the 2020 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
Calitz had his first international contract in Ireland as an eighteen-year-old, and after a conversation with Irish international cricketer Mark Adair decided to move to Ireland and seek to play for the Irish team after the three-year qualification period.[1] Beginning in 2022 he played club cricket and then at inter-provincial level played first for the Munster Reds and later for the Northern Knights.[2][3]
Calitz made his Twenty20 debut for the Knights in the 2024 Inter-Provincial Trophy on 8 May 2024,[4] and then made his List A debut in the 2024 Inter-Provincial Cup the next day.[5]
Playing for Ireland
Calitz became eligible to play cricket for the Irish cricket team on 1 April 2025,[1] and he was selected to play for the Ireland Wolves, Ireland's second-tier team, in their tour of the United Arab Emirates that same month.[2] He made his first-class debut on this tour against Afghanistan A on 7 April 2025.[6] The morning after playing another match against the Afghanistan team, Calitz was suffering from side pain and went to a hospital in Abu Dhabi, where he had an appendectomy. The recovery from the surgery meant he missed the beginning of the 2025 Irish domestic season.[1]
In September 2025, just five months after becoming eligible to play for Ireland,[7] Calitz earned his maiden call-up for their first-ever T20I series against England.[2][3][8][9] He made his Twenty20 International debut in the third match of the series on 21 September, scoring 22 runs.[10]
Having played only two Twenty20 Internationals for Ireland, Calitz was included in their squad for the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup.[11][12]
References
- ^ a b c d Chambers, Barry. "I never planned on staying in Ireland… but now it feels like home, beams well-travelled Ben Calitz". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
- ^ a b c d "Uncapped Calitz in Ireland squad to face England". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ a b "Ireland call up Calitz for England T20Is; Little, Adair absent with injury". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ "Knights vs Warriors at Belfast- May 08, 2024, Cricket Ireland Inter-Provincial Twenty20 Trophy". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ "Knights vs NW Warriors at Belfast- May 09, 2024, Cricket Ireland Inter-Provincial Limited Over Cup". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ "AFG A vs Ireland A at Abu Dhabi- April 07 - 10, 2025". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ Townsend, David. "Tim Tector unlucky to miss out as Ben Calitz gets Ireland squad nod for T20 series with England". Irish Independent. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
- ^ "Uncapped batter included in Ireland's T20I squad for England". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ "Ireland name squad for T20I series against England, Ben Calitz receives maiden call-up". CricTracker. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ Roller, Matt. "Cox's maiden fifty seals England six-wicket win, and series". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
- ^ "Ross Adair returns to Stirling-led Ireland squad for T20 World Cup 2026". ESPN. 9 January 2026. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
- ^ Khurana, Rudransh. "Ireland Announces Paul Stirling-Led Squad For 2026 T20 World Cup". News18.com. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
External links
- Ben Calitz at ESPNcricinfo
- Ben Calitz at CricketArchive (subscription required)