Fresh from a remarkable win over former T20 World Cup champions Australia, Zimbabwe will be high on confidence when they take on Ireland on Tuesday. The African team now has a golden opportunity to achieve Super 8 qualification for the first time. t20 world cup 2026. Another win would take Zimbabwe to six points and extend their unbeaten run in the group stage, solidifying their position in the tournament.
Meanwhile, Ireland reach the competition after an easy win over Oman – a result which has restored some confidence after earlier setbacks. The European team suffered defeats in its opening two matches against hosts Sri Lanka and Australia, limiting their chances of progressing further. Despite less at stake, Ireland will be keen to end their campaign on a positive note and test Zimbabwe’s pace.
IRE vs ZIM, T20 World Cup 2026: Match Details
- date and time: 17 February (Tuesday); 3:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT
- venue: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele
IRE vs ZIM, head-to-head record in T20I
Matches played: 18 | Ireland won: 8 | Zimbabwe won: 8 | No result/tied: 2
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
The pitch at Pallekele usually provides excellent starts for the batsmen. It has a solid base and genuine bounce, which allows stroke-players to trust the surface and play their shots freely during the powerplay and early overs. The ball comes well onto the bat, allowing teams to score quickly and create early momentum without taking too many risks.
But the character of the surface changes as the game progresses. The pitch starts to slow down and feel a little sticky, making it difficult for the batsmen to find their timing. That’s when bowlers, especially spinners and those who rely on cutters and variations, come into play. Changes of pace become far more effective, and run-scoring requires more patience and smart shot selection rather than pure aggression.
squads
Ireland: Ross Adair, Harry Tector, lorcan tucker (captain & wk), Curtis Campher, Benjamin Callitz, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Matthew Humphries, Tim Tector, Joshua Little, Benjamin White, Craig Young, Sam Topping
Zimbabwe: Brian Bennett, Tadivanashe Marumani (wk), Ryan Burl, Sikandar Raza (c), Dion Myers, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Graeme Cremer, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarawa, Ben Curran, Clive Madande, Tinotenda Maphosa.
IRE vs ZIM, T20 World Cup 2026: Today Match Prediction
Case 1:
- Ireland won the toss and batted first
- Ireland’s powerplay score: 40-50 (6 overs)
- Ireland’s total score: 160-170
Case 2:
- Zimbabwe won the toss and batted first
- Zimbabwe’s powerplay score: 45-55 (6 overs)
- Zimbabwe’s total score: 165-175
Match Result: The team batting first wins the competition.
Also read: Mayanti Langer, Laura McGoldrick to Grace Hayden: Complete list of T20 World Cup 2026 presenters