Sri Lanka Playing XI vs Ireland- ICC T20 World Cup 2026, Match 6

Sri Lanka starts the T20 World Cup vs Ireland [Source: Wanindu49/X.com]

The co-hosts of the T20 World Cup 2026, Sri Lanka, are set to begin their campaign against Ireland at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on February 8, 7 pm (IST).

They are hosting the tournament for the first time since 2012, and the stakes will be high, with conditions in favour and plenty of home support expected. They have been slotted in Group B, alongside the Irish, Australia, Oman and Zimbabwe and are among the favourites to finish in the top-2 of their group.

Sri Lanka vs Ireland Preview

In pursuit of lifting the title for the first time since 2014, Sri Lanka recently re-appointed Dasun Shanaka as captain after Charith Asalanka held the reins for a while. Since Shanaka's return as the skipper, they have tied a three-match T20I series against Pakistan and lost the England series 0-3 at home.

Paul Stirling's Ireland are coming off a tour of the UAE, where they defeated both Italy (2-1) and the UAE (2-0) in the two series played ahead of the competition. As they play their 9th T20 World Cup, the expectations will be to use their experience in the tournament with some promising talent at their disposal and have a shot at the top-2.

Despite the presence of Australia and Sri Lanka in the group, the injury concerns for the 2021 champions could make this race to the top-2 interesting. Early in the tournament, this clash between Sri Lanka and Ireland could play a role in determining who holds an edge in this race.

Sri Lanka Playing XI vs Ireland- Match 6

Top-order batters: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk)

Sri Lanka has a very settled top-3, which will be led by Pathum Nissanka's explosive batting in the powerplay, to go with a bit of calm from Kamil Mishara. The duo has been a reliable pair for a considerable amount of time for them and are two of their top-3 scorers since the start of last year.

The experienced campaigner Kusal Mendis will slot in at number 3 as someone who can go hammer and tongs from the word go if the situation allows. He can also bat deep into the innings and is their second-highest scorer since January 2025.

Middle-order batters: Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Pavan Rathnayake, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga

Kamindu Mendis, who recently made a return to the squad, replacing Dhananjaya de Silva, will be their number 4. With an ability to bat across phases, he can also bat as a floater in the middle-order. He will also provide the captain with an option of an ambidextrous finger spin.

The former skipper Charith Asalanka will bat in the second half of the innings, where he would ideally take a few balls before unleashing in the death overs. He will be followed by the in-form Pavan Rathnayake after his rise in recent months, getting his first international century under the belt.

Considering the experience, Sri Lanka might be tempted to play Kusal Perera over Rathnayake for the big event; however, on form, the youngster gets a nod. Dasun Shanaka will be their designated finisher, who has a strike rate of 177.7 at the death since the start of 2025, scoring close to 400 runs. He will also chip in with his pace bowling.

Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga will also be partnering Shanaka at the death with his ability to score big sixes on his days. If they want to go deep in the tournament, the leggie will be one of their crucial cogs in the bowling department as well.

There could be some worries around this middle-order's batting in the 6-15 over phase, where they tend to get stuck at 6 to 7.5 runs per over, but they are expected to come good in the death with a decent sample size at disposal.

Bowlers: Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana

The second spinner of the team will be Dunith Wellalage, who has an impressive economy rate in T20 cricket, conceding at just over 7 runs per over. He can also add a few crucial runs from number 9 late in the innings.

Dushmantha Chameera and Matheesha Pathirana will be the two frontline fast bowlers for the hosts. After Eshan Malinga's injury, the onus will be on Chameera, who will lead this pace-attack in both powerplay and at the death. He picked up 22 wickets in the final five overs since the start of 2025.

Chameera will be partnered by Pathirana, who has been finding his rhythm back in recent months, nailing the yorkers well. He will predominantly be operating in the second half of the innings alongside someone like Hasaranga.

Sri Lanka Playing XI vs Ireland- Match 6, T20 World Cup 2026: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Pavan Rathnyake, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana.