The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 continues in Group B as the 2021 champions, Australia, face off against Ireland at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. For Australia, this marks a new beginning after a tough period that included a 3-0 loss in Pakistan and injuries to key players Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. Ireland, on the other hand, needs to win to stay in contention after a strong but unsuccessful chase against co-hosts Sri Lanka in their first match.
AUS vs IRE, T20 World Cup 2026: Match Details
- Date and Time: February 11 (Wednesday); 3:00 pm IST / 9:30 am GMT / 8:30 pm AEDT
- Venue: R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka
AUS vs IRE, Head-to-Head Record (T20Is):
Matches played: 2 | Australia won: 2 | Ireland won: 0
Colombo Pitch Report
The R. Premadasa Stadium is known for its spin-friendly pitch with large boundaries. Early games in this World Cup have shown a lot of grip and turn, leading to a contest between spinners and batters during the middle overs. While fast bowlers may find some carry with the new ball, the pitch typically slows down later in the match. Since the game is in the afternoon, dew won’t play a role, which generally benefits the team batting first. Australia’s recent difficulties with spin might push them to chase if they trust their big hitters to keep up the scoring rate.
Team Dynamics and Key Players
Australia: The team, led by Mitchell Marsh, has a young pace attack with Xavier Bartlett and Nathan Ellis filling in for injured veterans. Their spin department, led by Adam Zampa, will have support from Matthew Kuhnemann and Cooper Connolly. Australia’s batting remains strong, with Travis Head and Glenn Maxwell able to break down any bowling attack. However, they will need to adapt to the slow conditions in Sri Lanka. Note that Tim David will miss this match due to a minor injury.
Ireland: Under the captaincy of Paul Stirling, Ireland is known for surprising stronger teams. They showed resilience against Sri Lanka, with Curtis Campher and Harry Tector proving their ability against good spin bowling. Their bowling lineup, headed by Mark Adair and Josh Little, will aim to take advantage of any early nerves from the Australian side. The left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys could be a crucial player on a surface that is expected to turn from the start.
Squads:
Mitchell Marsh (captain), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Renshaw, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa
Paul Stirling (captain), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Ben Calitz, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Matthew Humphreys, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Harry Tector, Tim Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young
AUS vs IRE, T20 World Cup 2026: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- Australia wins the toss and bats first
- Australia powerplay score: 50-60 (6 overs)
- Australia total score: 175-190
Case 2:
- Ireland wins the toss and bats first
- Ireland powerplay score: 40-50 (6 overs)
- Ireland total score: 145-160
Match result: Australia to win the contest
