🏏 ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, Zim vs Ireland 32nd match 🏏

🏏Ireland vs Zimbabwe, 32nd Match, Group B, ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026🏏

It's a straightforward job at hand for Zimbabwe. Win today's game against Ireland and book their place in the Super-8s. A loss isn't going to be terminal, but that would put them under pressure going into the last game against hosts Sri Lanka. Sikandar Raza's men have played the conditions superbly so far and their win against Australia came on the back of all-round discipline. The top-order has been amongst the runs and Blessing Muzarabani has led the bowling chart with aplomb. On the big grounds in Colombo, the emphasis was more on running between the wickets and posting a fighting score - two things that they did superbly - but they're now in Pallekele, a venue which has seen plenty of runs in the two matches played so far. Sri Lanka chased down Australia's 181 with two overs to spare in yesterday's night match. This is a day game today, but don't expect conditions to change drastically. Up against them today are the Irish men - they haven't set the tournament on fire, but they still have a 1% chance of qualification. The pressure though is off them and that does help. They posted a tournament high of 235 in the last match against Oman and they will be looking at one more green tick against their name today.

Preview

Zimbabwe face off Ireland with an eye on a Super Eights spot, their path clearer with Australia's loss to Sri Lanka on Monday (February 16).

With two wins in two games, Zimbabwe are second on the Group B points table, just below co-hosts Sri Lanka, who defeated Australia by eight wickets to seal their place in the Super Eights. It has also opened up the points table for Ireland: on level points with Australia, they could go third if they beat Zimbabwe, even though they're currently behind on net run-rate.

For Zimbabwe, a win would be enough to go through, a significant result in the context of the Group. It would make it the first group-stage exit for Australia since the 2009 edition.

Zimbabwe come on the back of a 23-run win over Australia, having blanked Oman in their opening encounter. While it does make them favourites going into the encounter, the two teams are level in head-to-head T20Is, winning eight apiece.

Ranked one place ahead of Ireland in the ICC T20I rankings (11th), Zimbabwe would be wary of being complacent, with captain Sikandar Raza saying: "Those victories that we have had so far will count for nothing, especially if there is a slip-up now."

Meanwhile, Ireland will also take confidence into the game. After defeats to Sri Lanka and Australia, they bounced back with an NRR-boosting win over Oman and will aim to finish their group campaign with another victory to stay in the race for the Super 8s.

When: Match 32, Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 3 PM Local Time

Where: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele

What to expect: Both teams haven't played in Pallekele yet, which has seen Sri Lanka put up 225 for 5 against Oman, and chase down 182 with two overs to spare against Australia. It could be another high-scoring game.

Team news

Ireland

Ireland are unlikely to deviate from the XI that beat Oman, where skipper Lorcan Tucker hit 94 off 51, laying the foundation for a 96-run win.

Probable XI: Ross Adair, Tim Tector, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (c & wk), Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Matthew Humphreys, Joshua Little

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe will bank on their pace attack to continue the good show, with Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans leading their wickets tally with seven and six scalps apiece. If fit, they would be tempted to include Richard Ngarava to the set.

Probable XI: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk), Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza (c), Ryan Burl, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Graeme Cremer, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava

What they said

"Fine, we've had two results. Fine, the world is talking about Zimbabwe. It is great. But let them do all the talking for us. The next game becomes the most important game and hopefully, like I said, we get a good result out of the game. The game after that becomes the most important game." - Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza.

"I think they're (Zimbabwe) probably as good of a bowling lineup as you'll find in this comp. It's definitely a challenge for our batters and vice versa for us. I think they're a good batting team and they obviously have that little bit of explosiveness towards the back but it's something that we're looking forward to. We've played a lot against them. We've seen a lot of these guys. There should be no surprises for us." - Ireland's Mark Adair.

In the spotlight - seamers from both teams

With the extra bounce on offer, the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is one of the rare Sri Lanka grounds where more wickets have fallen to seam (201) than spin (154). It would be no surprise if seamers from both teams prove to be the difference on Tuesday.

In Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans, Zimbabwe have a pace triumvirate that can be the envy of any side in this tournament. They've taken 16 wickets amongst them, and managed to brush past Australia even with Ngarava out of the XI. Moreover, Muzarabani has won two Player-of-the-Match awards.

Mark Adair could be key for Ireland in Pallekele•Getty Images

In Mark Adair, Ireland have the quintessential work horse. Despite making his debut after Josh Little and Barry McCarthy, he's played more T20Is - 100 - than the other two and managed to pick up 142 wickets. He also loves bowling against Zimbabwe; his 24 wickets are the most he has taken against an opposition. With Little finding his form last time out with a first three-for since March 2024, Ireland will know any chance of success depends on how quick their seam-bowling unit find their rhythm.

Pitch and conditions

Rain has threatened right throughout this tournament, but that threat is yet to manifest. The forecast for Tuesday is familiarly dicey, with some showers possible in the morning and evening. As for the pitch, Mark Adair labelled it "Sri Lanka's best wicket" and in terms of contest between bat and ball, you'd be hard-pressed to argue. It will however be a used track, with Australia and Sri Lanka having played on it the night prior.

Zimbabwe take on Ireland with clarity about Super Eights path

With Sri Lanka beating Australia on Monday night, a win will be enough for Zimbabwe to seal qualification

Big picture - A win will take Zimbabwe into Super Eights

When Ireland arrived in Kandy on Sunday afternoon, with just two points after three games, their chances of qualifying for Super Eights may have seemed fanciful. But courtesy an outstanding Sri Lankan chase against Australia on Monday night, the possibilities for Group B have been thrown wide open.

Sri Lanka have qualified, but Ireland now know that a win against Zimbabwe on Tuesday will keep them in with a very real chance of qualification - provided Sri Lanka also beat Zimbabwe in their final match.

If those very specific set of circumstances - including Australia beating Oman - occur, then Australia, Zimbabwe and Ireland could all end on four points each, separated solely by net run-rate.

But that might be getting ahead of ourselves. Zimbabwe simply need to win against Ireland to end all speculation, and considering they're coming off a stunning 23-run victory over Australia, it would take a brave person to back against them.

Captain Sikandar Raza is also not one to allow his team to let their guard down. He has emphasised the need to maintain focus, warning that earlier performances will "count for nothing" if the team slips up now.

Blessing Muzarabani has been Player of the Match in each of Zimbabwe's two matches at the T20 World Cup 2026 so far

Ireland, meanwhile, have lost to Sri Lanka and Australia earlier in the tournament but their dominant 96-run win over Oman - including a tournament-high of 235 - will have provided a timely boost in confidence. They also come in with a chip on their shoulder, over constant comparisons to Associate nations, something they will be keen to put right with a win over Zimbabwe.

Lending more unpredictability to this game is that the historical rivalry is remarkably balanced, with both sides having won eight apiece of their 18 T20I meetings.

Stats and trivia

• Ngarava's 15 wickets is the second-most by any seamer against Ireland in T20Is, behind Paul van Meekeren's 18
• Only Rashid Khan (34) and Mustafizur Rahman (27) have more T20I wickets against Zimbabwe than Mark Adair (24)
• Sikandar Raza needs 87 more to become the first Zimbabwean to reach 3,000 runs in T20Is

Quotes

"The beauty of these ICC events are that every game you practically feel is a knockout game. And I think it's great for our own mental toughness and growth as well, how well we handle our own expectations rather than what the world wants from us. The biggest challenge is to try and stay with the present and just not get too excited with what lies ahead."

Sikandar Raza is reveling in the pressure

"I think whenever we're away from home, our schedules are always pretty tight - but it's fine we're in Colombo each time. We had three games in Colombo, so it was same hotel two different grounds, which is fine. It'd be different if we were flying around India or having to drive to Kandy and play straight away. But we've done this once, so I don't think it's too bad."

Mark Adair on the challenges of the tournament schedule

Thank you Soni for the thread and for tagging.

I want to see Zim to win!