🏏ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026:M 6: SL vs Ireland, Colombo 🏏 - Page 3

18:00 Local Time, 12:30 GMT, 18:00 IST: The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is only just underway, but Match 6 already offers a familiar World Cup dynamic. Co-hosts Sri Lanka take on Ireland at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, with home advantage firmly on one side and history of upsets on the other side. Their spinners will play a decisive role on surfaces that tend to slow as the game wears on. Central to that plan is Wanindu Hasaranga, among the leading wicket-takers in T20Is in recent years. Alongside him, Maheesh Theekshana brings control in the powerplay and precision through the middle overs.

This is Match 6, and the first in Group B. Sri Lanka, itching to rekindle the fire that once made them frequent favourites at such tournaments; Ireland, wanting to show that they are the real deal this time.

A decade or so ago, Sri Lanka were in the midst of a golden cricketing period. Knockouts and finals were being made. Tournaments were being impacted. And on a balmy evening in Mirpur in 2014, they laid their hands on the big prize too.

Consistency is no longer a feature, though. Captains have come and gone, and come back again. Players have been recycled and yet, Sri Lanka have not made an ICC final since. But now, they return home in a world event. To confines they should, in theory, be more acclimatized to than the rest. Hoping that some of that past spark can be reignited.

Ireland, of course, will have other ideas. They have threatened in ICC events before but have not always lived up to their potential. Their ceiling perhaps remains unbreached too, but at this T20 World Cup and in this group, time is not a luxury. Although for a team fighting to cast themselves into the elite, they could do worse than an opening fixture win against the co-hosts.

Sri Lanka start as favourites at home, but Ireland’s World Cup track record suggests they will not make it comfortable.

Ireland have won the toss and have opted to field

Right then, the captains are out in the middle and the toss isn't far away..

Pitch Report: This is a belter, says former Sri Lanka cricketer Russel Arnold. Nice covering of grass, 3.5mm, he adds and that will help the ball come onto the bat. He bangs his knuckles into the turf to show hard the pitch is, and reckons 175 could be a par score here tonight. He expects the pitch to not change much, meaning whoever executes their skills better has a greater chance of winning.

Paul Stirling: We are going to bowl first tonight. It’s slightly different from the last time we were here. It looks a little bit drier, but it looks like a good wicket. It’s pretty hard and firm, so we’ll see what we can do with the new ball here and see if we can chase down whatever they set. I think we need to be at our best and that’s pretty much it. We’ve had a good build-up, preparation has been excellent, so we’re ready to get off and get things started here at the Premadasa. We’ve got good all-round options in the middle and we’ve picked the extra batter tonight, so hopefully that’ll come in handy towards the back end of the game.

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis(w), Pavan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka(c), Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana

Ireland have won the toss and have opted to field

Teams:

Ireland (Playing XI): Paul Stirling(c), Ross Adair, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker(w), Curtis Campher, Benjamin Calitz, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Matthew Humphreys

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis(w), Pavan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka(c), Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana

Teams:

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis(w), Pavan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka(c), Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana

Ireland (Playing XI): Paul Stirling(c), Ross Adair, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker(w), Curtis Campher, Benjamin Calitz, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Matthew Humphreys