The cricketing spotlight shifts to Colombo as co-hosts Sri Lanka take on Ireland in the 6th Match of Group B at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the historic R. Premadasa Stadium.
The island nation, playing on home soil with passionate crowd support behind them, will look to assert its dominance against Ireland’s determined challengers.
Under Dasun Shanaka’s leadership, Sri Lanka boasts match-winning spinners and explosive batting depth that thrives in familiar conditions.
Ireland, the spirited European contenders led by Paul Stirling, arrive with nothing to lose and everything to prove, armed with aggressive batsmen and versatile all-rounders capable of springing tournament surprises.
With Group B supremacy at stake and contrasting tactical approaches on display, this evening encounter at one of Sri Lanka’s most iconic venues promises intense competition and unforgettable moments.
Match Details
The historic R. Premadasa Stadium provides the perfect stage for this crucial Group B confrontation between the passionate hosts and Ireland’s fearless warriors.
Here’s your complete guide to the fixture scheduling and venue information.
| Match Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Match Number | 6th Match, Group B |
| Date | February 08, 2026 |
| Time (Local) | 7:00 PM |
| Time (GMT) | 1:30 PM |
| Venue | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo |
The R. Premadasa Stadium, with its impressive 35,000 capacity, will create a cauldron of noise for this Group B showdown, with boundaries stretching between the Khettarama End and Scoreboard End. Expect the partisan Sri Lankan crowd to turn this into a fortress atmosphere.
Weather Report
Colombo’s tropical evening climate will play a significant role in this crucial Group B encounter. Here’s the meteorological outlook for match day conditions at the Premadasa.
| Parameter | Forecast Details |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 28-32°C (Hot and Humid) |
| Humidity | 70-80% |
| Rain Chance | 20% (Partly cloudy with occasional showers possible) |
| Wind Speed | 12-18 km/h |
| Cloud Cover | Scattered clouds with clear periods |
The hot and humid evening conditions typically favor spinners significantly. As the match progresses under lights, dew could become a decisive factor, potentially making bowling second a challenging proposition and assisting the chasing team.
Pitch Report
The R. Premadasa Stadium pitch offers distinctive characteristics that reward smart cricket and punish poor execution, particularly in evening conditions.
Here’s a detailed analysis of what both teams can anticipate from this Colombo surface.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Pitch Nature | The surface offers good pace and bounce early on before slowing. Spinners extract turn and grip as the match progresses, particularly under lights. |
| Batting Assistance | The pitch rewards clean hitting and intelligent strokeplay. Power-hitters thrive on true bounce, while accumulation becomes vital in the middle overs. |
| Bowling Assistance | New ball movement assists seamers briefly. Spinners dominate middle and death overs with variations. Evening dew significantly impacts grip and control. |
| Boundary Size | Square boundaries measure approximately 60-65 meters. Straight boundaries extend to around 70-75 meters, favoring lofted shots. |
| Ideal First Innings Score | A score of 165-180 is highly competitive when batting first. Teams successfully chase 170-185 here when dew arrives. |
| Toss & Dew Impact | Evening dew heavily favors chasing teams. Captains overwhelmingly prefer bowling first to exploit dew-affected conditions during the chase. |
The pitch characteristics suggest a balanced contest early before spinners take control, with dew potentially tilting the advantage dramatically toward the chasing side in this evening fixture.
Sri Lanka vs Ireland – Squads
Both nations bring contrasting strengths and tactical approaches to this vital Group B encounter.
Sri Lanka Squad
Sri Lanka arrives with a formidable home advantage and a squad perfectly balanced for Colombo conditions. Under Dasun Shanaka’s experienced captaincy, the co-hosts will be confident of extending their dominance over Ireland.
Full Squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Charith Asalanka, Dushmantha Chameera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Janith Liyanage, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kamil Mishara, Pathum Nissanka, Matheesha Pathirana, Kusal Perera (wk), Pramod Madushan, Pavan Rathnayake, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage
Ireland Squad
Ireland combines seasoned campaigners with emerging talent under Paul Stirling’s aggressive leadership. The Irish will aim to overturn their historical deficit against Sri Lanka with fearless cricket and tactical innovation.
Full Squad: Paul Stirling (c), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Ben Calitz, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Matthew Humphreys, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Harry Tector, Tim Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Ben White, Craig Young
Key Players to Watch
Individual brilliance often proves decisive in tight T20 World Cup encounters, particularly when familiar conditions meet determined opposition.
Key Batters – Sri Lanka
| Player | Impact Factor |
|---|---|
| Pathum Nissanka | The technically sound opener provides stability with classical strokeplay and accelerates intelligently against quality bowling on home pitches. |
| Kusal Mendis | The explosive wicketkeeper-batter devastates bowling attacks with innovative shots and a fearless approach, particularly dangerous in familiar Colombo conditions. |
| Charith Asalanka | The left-handed batting all-rounder brings crucial middle-order stability and finishing ability while contributing valuable slow-bowling options. |
Key Batters – Ireland
| Player | Impact Factor |
|---|---|
| Paul Stirling | The captain and explosive opener set foundations with aggressive powerplay hitting and possess the experience to construct match-winning innings. |
| Harry Tector | The technically accomplished middle-order batsman anchors innings with intelligent strokeplay and acceleration capability during crucial phases. |
| Curtis Campher | The versatile all-rounder contributes aggressive batting in pressure situations while providing seam-bowling balance to Ireland’s attack. |
Key Bowlers – Sri Lanka
| Player | Impact Factor |
|---|---|
| Wanindu Hasaranga | The world-class leg-spinner bamboozles batsmen with variations, googlies, and economical spells, especially lethal on turning Colombo surfaces. |
| Maheesh Theekshana | The mystery spinner confuses opposition with carrom balls and unique variations, particularly effective in powerplay and middle-overs restriction. |
| Matheesha Pathirana | The express pacer with his unique sling-arm action delivers deadly yorkers and variations in death overs, making him invaluable under pressure. |
Key Bowlers – Ireland
| Player | Impact Factor |
|---|---|
| Josh Little | The left-arm pace spearhead swings the new ball dangerously and delivers crucial breakthroughs in powerplay phases with accuracy and aggression. |
| Mark Adair | The seam-bowling all-rounder brings experience, variations, and wicket-taking ability across all phases while contributing valuable lower-order runs. |
| George Dockrell | The experienced left-arm spinner controls middle overs masterfully with accuracy and variations on subcontinental turning tracks. |
Head-to-Head Record
Sri Lanka and Ireland have developed a one-sided rivalry in T20 Internationals, with the Asian island nation completely dominating their limited encounters against the European challengers.
| Match Format | Total Matches Played | Sri Lanka Won | Ireland Won |
|---|---|---|---|
| T20I | 3 | 3 | 0 |
Sri Lanka holds a perfect 3-0 record against Ireland in T20I encounters, underscoring their complete dominance whenever these sides have clashed in the shortest format. The Lankan Lions have never tasted defeat against Ireland in T20 cricket, establishing psychological superiority heading into this World Cup encounter.
Live Streaming & Broadcast Details
Cricket enthusiasts worldwide can follow this Group B clash live via ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Live Streaming, with official broadcast coverage available for fans.
| Region/Country | Television | Online/Streaming |
|---|---|---|
| India | Star Sports Network | JioHotstar |
| Sri Lanka | Dialog TV, Star Sports, TV Supreme | ThePapare.com, Dialog Play, PEO TV |
| Pakistan | PTV, Myco | Tamasha, ARY Zapp, Tapmad |
| United Kingdom & Ireland | Sky Sports Cricket, Sky Sports Main Event | NOW |
| Australia | – | Prime Video |
| New Zealand | SKY Sport | SKY Sport Streaming |
| United States | Willow TV | Willow DTC, CricBuzz DTC, Willow YouTube |
| Canada | Willow TV | Willow DTC, CricBuzz DTC |
| UAE & MENA | CricLife Max (via StarzPlay) | StarzPlay |
| Caribbean Islands | ESPN | Disney+ |
Sri Lankan cricket fans can experience premium coverage on Dialog TV with comprehensive Sinhala commentary, while Star Sports Network delivers expert analysis in multiple languages. Mobile streaming is seamlessly available on ThePapare.com, Dialog Play, and PEO TV for convenient viewing anywhere across the island.
