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AUS vs IRE, T20 World Cup will be played in Colombo [Source: Crex_live, TheStatsKid1523/X.com]
Australia start their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign against Ireland in Match 14 at the R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, on February 11 at 3 PM (IST).
The former champions are currently injury-laden and are set to miss some of their key players from the tournament opener. While Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are completely ruled out of the competition, Mitchell Marsh also confirmed the unavailability of Tim David from the first match, adding to the existing worries.
On the other hand, Ireland played the co-hosts Sri Lanka in their first match and looked in a dominant position for the most part of the game. However, during both innings, the last five overs went drastically south, and they ended up losing by 20 runs. As they take on the Aussies on Wednesday afternoon, we explore what to expect from the match below.
AUS vs IRE current form (last 5 matches)
The Aussies are coming off a worrying 0-3 series loss in Pakistan, while Ireland lost the match against Sri Lanka but won 4 of their 5 matches in the lead-up to the competition in the UAE.
| Team | Form |
| Australia | L, NR, L, L, L |
| Ireland | W, L, W, W, L |
AUS vs IRE player battles
Travis Head vs Mark Adair
With some of the key players, including the dangerous Tim David, missing, the onus will be on the senior-pro Travis Head at the top to give his team a blistering start and potentially the extra 15-20 runs. He will be up against the most successful Irish bowler, with 140 T20I scalps in 98 innings in the powerplay. Whoever wins these battles gives their team an early edge.
Paul Stirling vs Cooper Connolly
The most capped T20I player, Paul Stirling, is crucial for Ireland's chances of stunning any big opposition and potentially fighting for the top-2. Considering the conditions, it is likely that Cooper Connolly gets the new ball. He conceded at an economy of under 7 in this phase during the BBL 2025/26 season and was the third-highest powerplay wicket-taker in the season.
A right-hand batter against a left-arm orthodox will be an exciting battle to watchout for.
Josh Inglis vs George Dockrell
Another important player for Australia in David's absence will be Josh Inglis in the middle overs. He is a crafty batter in good T20 form over the last couple of years, especially in the sub-continent. He will look to score at a brisk pace against a very disciplined and economical George Dockrell's left-arm finger spin.
Dockrell is coming off a 2/17 in the first match. How this battle pans out could set the teams up for the death overs and dictate the result.
AUS vs IRE top performers (among current players)
Most runs for AUS vs IRE (among squad members)
Among the current squad members, Marcus Stoinis has the most runs against Ireland. He scored 35 off 25 in the only match against them.
Most wickets for AUS vs IRE (among squad members)
Glenn Maxwell from this T20 World Cup team has 3 wickets in two outings against Ireland. He has bowled at an economy rate of 6.24, and the best figures of 2/14 (2.1) came in Brisbane, 2022.
Most runs for IRE vs AUS (among squad members)
Lorcan Tucker has the most runs for Ireland against Australia, with a score of 71* (48) in his only face-off against the giants. He had a strike rate of 147.91 in the mentioned innings.
Most wickets for IRE vs AUS (among squad members)
Right-arm pacer Barry McCarthy, who picked 2/40 against Sri Lanka, has the most wickets against the opposition. He picked 3/29 in Brisbane, 2022 and conceded runs at an economy rate of 7.25 runs per over.
Australia vs Ireland toss prediction
In T20Is played at the venue, 20 of the 49 matches have been won by teams batting first, as opposed to 28 while chasing. The first match of the tournament here offered help to the spinners in the middle overs during both innings. Similar conditions can be expected on Wednesday again, with the first innings score of 175 to be par.
Considering how the previous match went, team chasing would fancy their chances of winning the match, despite Ireland failing to chase against Sri Lanka.
Australia vs Ireland 1st innings score prediction
Powerplay- 49/1
Final score- 168/6
Australia vs Ireland 2nd innings score prediction
Powerplay- 53/0
Final score- 170/4
Australia vs Ireland top players prediction
Australia top players' prediction
Probable best batters
Travis Head, Josh Inglis
Probable best bowlers
Cooper Connolly, Glenn Maxwell
Ireland top players' prediction
Probable best batters
Ben Calitz, Paul Stirling
Probable best bowlers
George Dockrell, Mark Adair
Who will hit the most sixes in AUS vs IRE Match 14?
Who will hit the most fours in AUS vs IRE Match 14?
Travis Head
AUS vs IRE match winner prediction: Who will win Match 14?
The Australians are heavily depleted ahead of this tournament, and neither is the form on their side. Considering the two factors, the Irish could fancy an outside chance of causing an upset and sending shockwaves through the group. However, with overall experience at this stage and quality of the batters, in particular, expect Australia to clinch a thrilling game.
