Australia vs Ireland match prediction for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Check team strengths, key players, form, and expert analysis on who will win this crucial group stage match.

Australia are all set to play against Ireland in the 14th match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. The Aussies will play the first game of the tournament and look to make a solid entry with a win. Meanwhile, Ireland lost their first game and are in desparate need of a victory to keep their hopes alive in the tournament.
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Match: Australia vs Ireland, Match 14
Tournament: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026
Date: February 11, 2026
Time: 3 PM IST
Venue: R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Cricket fans in India can watch the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 matches from February 7 online on JioHotstar, via OTTplay Premium.
Also read: Ishan Kishan or Sanju Samson: Who should open for India?
The R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo is traditionally known for being spin-friendly, especially in limited-overs cricket. The surface tends to slow down as the match progresses, making strokeplay difficult in the second innings. Spinners play a major role during middle overs, while pacers can get early swing with the new ball. In T20s, scores between 150–170 are competitive. Teams winning the toss often prefer to bat first and defend using spin advantage later.
Matches played: 2
AUS won: 2
IRE won: 0
No result: 0
Australia
Mitchell Marsh (c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Cooper Connolly, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Renshaw, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, and Adam Zampa
Ireland:
Paul Stirling (c), Ross Adair, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, Ben Calitz, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Josh Little, and Matthew Humphreys
1. Mitchell Marsh: Captain Mitchell Marsh brings explosive batting and seam bowling balance. His ability to dominate middle overs and provide breakthroughs makes him central to Australia’s match control and momentum shifts.
2. Adam Zampa: Adam Zampa leads Australia’s spin attack with control and wicket-taking ability. His variations and consistency in middle overs help restrict scoring and break partnerships against aggressive batting lineups.
1. Paul Stirling: Captain Paul Stirling is Ireland’s most experienced batter, known for aggressive starts. His ability to score quickly in powerplay overs is crucial to Ireland’s chances against stronger opponents.
2. Josh Little: Josh Little spearheads Ireland’s pace attack with accuracy and aggression. His effectiveness in powerplay and death overs gives Ireland crucial wicket-taking threat against powerful batting lineups consistently.
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