T20 WC, Sri Lanka vs Ireland: Preview and stats
What's the story
Sri Lanka will take on Ireland in the sixth match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The highly anticipated clash is scheduled for February 8 at R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. The Lankans are expected to dominate the encounter with their world-class spin attack and a batting line-up led by Pathum Nissanka. Here is the preview of the upcoming contest.
Team form
Recent form of both teams
Sri Lanka come into the T20 WC on the back of a 0-3 clean sweep against a strong England T20I side. The Lions showed massive improvement in the third T20I of that series but failed to cross the line. Despite winning a series against UAE in Dubai, Ireland's preparation has shown some worrying cracks. A top-order collapse in the second T20I exposed significant batting frailties that could be fatal against a team of Sri Lanka's caliber.
Details
Pitch report and streaming details
The toss will be crucial as the last eight consecutive T20I matches at R Premadasa Stadium have been won by the chasing sides. The pitch offers some carry for seamers early on, but quickly turns into a spinner's paradise where the ball grips and turns. Batters need to be patient in the powerplay to make most of it later on. One can watch the match live on the Star Sports Network and stream it on the JioHotstar app/website (7:00pm IST).
Match outlook
Weather forecast for the matchday
The weather in Colombo will be partly sunny and very hot with light winds. The chance of rain is low (10%), ensuring an uninterrupted match. Conditions heavily favor the home side as Sri Lanka is well-equipped to exploit spin-friendly conditions while Ireland's historical struggles in Asia are a major concern.
Information
A look at the head-to-head record
Sri Lanka have a clear upper hand over Ireland in T20 internationals heading into this World Cup match. The islanders have won all three encounters against the Irish in the format, as per ESPNcricinfo. All these wins came in the 2009, 2021, and 2022 World Cups.
XIs
Here are the probable XIs
Sri Lanka (Probable XI): Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Charith Asalanka, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Dushmantha Chameera. Ireland (Probable XI): Paul Stirling (c), Ross Adair, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, Ben Calitz, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Josh Little, Matthew Humphreys.
Performers
Here are the key performers
With 2,437 runs at 30.84, Pathum Nissanka is Sri Lanka's leading run-getter in T20Is. Between 2021 and 2024, Wanindu Hasaranga snapped up 37 wickets from just 19 T20 World Cup matches at 11.72. Paul Stirling is Ireland's highest run-scorer in the format, having tallied 3,888 runs at 26.44. Mark Adair has taken the most wickets for them - 139 at 19.41.