Australia will start its campaign against Ireland in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The AUS vs IRE match will be Ireland’s second game in the tournament after their campaign begins against hosts Sri Lanka. Australia suffered a heavy defeat against Pakistan; However, they are still among the favorites going into this competition.
While Mitchell Marsh will captain them for the first time in the ICC T20 World Cup, Ireland will be captained by their most experienced batsman Paul Stirling. Australia have suffered a number of injuries in the tournament and have struggled to gain an advantage against spin, which is vital playing on subcontinent pitches.
This article will cover the AUS vs IRE match number 14 preview, which will include pitch report, weather forecast, head-to-head records, probable playing XIs and live streaming details.
AUS vs IRE T20 World Cup Match Preview:
Match date: The Australia vs Ireland match will be played on Wednesday, 11 February.
venue: This match will be held at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Time: The match is scheduled to start at 3:00 PM IST.
Australia vs IRE Squad:
Australia team: Mitchell Marsh (captain), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Matthew Kuhnman, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Renshaw, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.
Ireland team: Paul Stirling (captain), Curtis Campher, Harry Tector, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Ben Callitz, George Dockrell, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Matthew Humphries, Tim Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young.
Australia vs IRE Probable XI:
Australia playing XI: Mitchell Marsh (captain), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Tim David, Marcus Stoinis, Cooper Connolly, Glenn Maxwell, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa/Matthew Kuhnman.
Ireland playing XI: Paul Stirling (captain), Ross Adair, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, Ben Callitz, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Josh Little, Matthew Humphreys.
AUS vs IRE Match No. 14 Key Battles
Paul Sterling vs Cooper Connolly
Experienced Irish batsman Paul Stirling has made many records in his name since coming to India. Sterling has scored runs for Ireland all these years and will once again be seen guarding the innings during the powerplay. He will have to face Cooper Connolly, who may once again be handed the ball on the power play. Connolly can hold some ground and will be key to Australia’s success in the power play.
travis head vs mark adair
Mark Adair has been a part of the Irish setup for a long time; However, when the matches are likely to be played in the subcontinent, it is very difficult to resist the runs coming off the bat of the great Travis Head. To prevent the Australian team from snatching the game away early, Australia’s explosive openers are likely to be stopped early.
Mitchell Marsh vs Josh Little
Australian captain Mitchell Marsh is another explosive top-order batsman for the Kangaroos. Marsh has played alongside a wealth of talent in the Perth Scorchers lineup recently, and a lot will depend on him for the success of Australia’s T20 World Cup campaign. Left-arm fast bowler Josh Little can stay away from Mitchell Marsh and bring his edge into play.
Tim David vs Gareth Delaney
The explosive Australian batsman is likely to return to the Australian batting order after missing out on the BBL and Pakistan series due to injuries. David is the most in-form batsman in the Australian team and his return will strengthen their middle order. Delany, a leg spinner, can be used to dismiss the big-hitting middle-order maestro, as he often aims to launch the spinners, but also sometimes loses his shape to be trapped in the deep.
AUS vs IRE Match No. 14 Key Players:
Australia: Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Cameron Green, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa
Ireland: Paul Sterling, Josh Little, Harry Tector, Mark Adair
AUS vs IRE Match No. 14 – Free Live Streaming and Telecast Details
TV broadcasting in India: The fourteenth match of the T20 World Cup 2026 between Australia and Ireland will be telecast live on Star Sports Network.
Online Live Streaming in India: Fans can watch the match live on Jio Hotstar app/website.
AUS vs IRE Weather and Pitch Report – Colombo
AUS vs IRE Weather Report in Colombo:
The weather in Colombo is expected to be ideal for cricket for Wednesday’s match. Although there is very little chance of rain, the temperatures will be very high during the day, and hence, the team batting first will be tired on the track, which prevents scoring runs quickly anyway.
R. AUS vs IRE Pitch Report at Premadasa Stadium:
The pitch of R Premadasa Stadium is a favorable track for spinners. The ball starts out with overspin and often takes good grip on the surface, making it more difficult for the batsmen to chase on this ground. Such tracks help the team batting first, as it is a low-scoring ground and the average run in the first innings is around 150.
AUS vs IRE Head-to-Head Records
| statistics | Matchbox | Australia won | ire won | Drag | Tied up | N.R. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| overall | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| In T20 World Cup | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Last 5 T20Is* | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
AUS vs IRE head-to-head record: key statistics
According to ESPN Cricinfo, Australia and Ireland have not faced each other multiple times in the shortest format of the game. However, Australia remained the only team victorious on all occasions, while Ireland could not achieve a single win.
AUS vs IRE Head-to-Head Records: Last Match
Australia have been dominant in recent fixtures, including two solid wins in previous World Cup editions. The difference in experience has been a major factor in these results. Both have played against the same opponent once at the same venue in the ICC T20 World Cup.
AUS vs IRE head-to-head records – past matches results:
AUS vs IRE Match No. 14 – Conclusion:
Australia are looking for good form in the shortest format of the game, while Ireland have made a comeback in the T20 World Cup. Struggling against spin, Australia r. Premadasa will want to cool down before playing on the spin-friendly tracks of the stadium.


