The R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo was the venue for an intense Group B match in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Wednesday. The anticipated contest between Australia and Ireland soon turned challenging for the Irish side. As they aimed to chase a target of 183, Ireland faced a major setback right from the start, losing their captain, Paul Stirling, due to injury on the first ball of their innings.
Ireland’s captain Paul Stirling leaves field due to injury against Australia
Australia set a strong target by scoring 182/6. The Irish openers stepped onto the field, filling the stadium with anticipation until Stirling faced a yorker from Xavier Bartlett. He managed a single but began limping halfway down the pitch. After checking with the medical team, Stirling had to retire hurt after scoring only 1 run, leaving Ireland in a precarious situation.
Earlier, Australian batters took full advantage of the pitch. An early mishap involving Travis Head, who scored 67 before a chaotic run-out, didn’t shake their momentum. Josh Inglis (37) and Matt Renshaw (37) played crucial roles during the middle overs, handling the Irish spin attack effectively.
Later in the innings, Marcus Stoinis added fireworks with a powerful 45 runs off 29 balls, hitting four boundaries and two sixes. For Ireland, Mark Adair stood out with bowling figures of 2/44, while Matthew Humphreys had 1/33. However, chasing a total of 182 required a strong performance from Stirling, whose exit diminished those hopes.
Nathan Ellis dismantles Ireland’s top-order
With Stirling out of the game, the Irish batting order looked unsettled against the Australian pace attack. The situation worsened as Nathan Ellis showcased his seam bowling skills.
The score quickly turned bleak for Ireland. Harry Tector was out for a duck in the second over, followed by Ross Adair (12), who fell to Ellis. Curtis Campher and Ben Calitz were dismissed shortly after, leaving Ireland at a dismal 27/4 by the fifth over. At the six-over mark, they were 40/4, needing 143 runs from the remaining 84 balls.
With the required run rate rising above 10.21 and their best power-hitter likely sidelined for the rest of the tournament, Ireland’s chances of winning this match and advancing in Group B are looking slim.
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