T20 World Cup: Sri Lanka to bat first against Ireland
February 8, 2026 06:34 pm
Ireland captain Paul Stirling won the toss and elected to field first against Sri Lanka in the sixth game of the 2026 T20 World Cup in Colombo.
Stirling said the pitch looked “hard and firm” but was a bit drier than the last time they were here. “We have got good all-round options in the middle, so we have picked an extra batter tonight. Hope that will come in handy at the backend of the game.” As suspected, there was no room for Josh Little.
Sri Lanka went in with five batters and five bowlers. Their captain Dasun Shanaka felt “anything over 170 would be very good on this pitch”.
The square boundaries are 71 metres and 77 metres. The straight one is 84 metres.
Sri Lanka and Ireland have faced each other only three times in T20Is, with Sri Lanka winning on all three occasions.
Sri Lanka playing XI
Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Pavan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka (C), Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana
Ireland playing XI
Paul Stirling (C), Ross Adair, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Curtis Campher, Ben Calitz, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Matthew Humphreys
