Australia crushed Ireland by 67 runs in their Group B match at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on February 11, 2026, at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Nathan Ellis took four wickets for 12 runs, and Adam Zampa grabbed four for 23 to bowl out Ireland for 115 in 16.5 overs after Australia posted 182 for 6 in their 20 overs.
The match was overshadowed by injuries to key players on both sides. Australia captain Mitchell Marsh was ruled out before the match started with internal testicular bleeding suffered during training. Ireland captain Paul Stirling retired hurt on the first ball he faced with a knee injury and never came back to bat. Travis Head took over as stand-in captain for Australia and guided his team to a comfortable win.
Marsh Injury Blow Before Match
Mitchell Marsh missed the match after being diagnosed with internal testicular bleeding from a blow during training. The injury forced him out completely, and Cricket Australia called up Steve Smith as cover. Smith was playing domestic cricket in Sydney on February 10 and needs at least 36 to 48 hours to reach Colombo, meaning he will likely miss the next match against Zimbabwe on February 12.
Head stepped in as captain for his first match, leading Australia in the World Cup. His captaincy lasted only two overs before he was run out for 6 runs, becoming the first Australian T20 World Cup captain to get dismissed for single digits in his opening over as leader. The AUS squad will need to manage without Marsh for at least two to four weeks based on recovery timelines for this type of injury.
Australia Post 182 Despite Early Setback
Australia struggled early after Ireland won the toss and chose to bowl. Head’s run out in the second over put pressure on the middle order. Josh Inglis counterattacked with 37 runs off just 17 balls to push Australia to 64 for 2 in the powerplay. Cameron Green added 21 before getting out, while Glenn Maxwell could only manage 9 runs.
Matt Renshaw and Marcus Stoinis rebuilt the innings with a partnership of 61 runs that steadied Australia. Renshaw scored 37 off 33 balls while Stoinis smashed 45 off 29 deliveries. Australia added 53 runs in their last five overs to reach 182 for 6, giving their bowlers a defendable total on a slow Colombo pitch.
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Ellis and Zampa Destroy Ireland
Ireland’s chase fell apart immediately when Stirling retired hurt on the first ball with a knee problem. This was only the fifth time a captain has left injured in a T20 World Cup without facing a delivery, and teams in that situation have lost 89 percent of their matches historically.
Ellis tore through Ireland’s top order by taking three wickets in his first two overs. He finished with career-best T20 international figures of four wickets for 12 runs in 3.5 overs. His economy rate of 3.13 runs per over was the most economical four-wicket haul by any bowler defending a total under 185 in T20 World Cup history.
Ireland reached 66 for 5 after 10 overs and needed 117 runs off the final 10 overs with only five wickets left. George Dockrell fought hard with 41 runs off 29 balls, and Lorcan Tucker added 24, but Zampa broke the resistance by taking four wickets for 23 runs. He stumped Dockrell at a key moment to end any hope of an Irish comeback. Ireland were bowled out for 115 in the 17th over, losing by 67 runs.
What This Result Means
Australia moved to the top of Group B with a big net run rate boost from the 67-run winning margin. They face Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, and Oman in their remaining group matches. The injury to Marsh is a concern for the knockout stages as he is a key all-rounder in their lineup.
Ireland suffered their first setback of the tournament and will need to bounce back quickly. The loss of Stirling for even one match would hurt their batting depth. Both teams had injury problems, but Australia’s bowling depth made the difference as Ellis and Zampa combined for eight wickets for just 35 runs in 7.5 overs.
Ellis won the Player of the Match award for his four-wicket haul. He became the fourth Australian bowler to take four or more wickets in a T20 World Cup debut match after Brett Lee in 2007, Mitchell Johnson in 2010, and Mitchell Starc in 2014. The Watch guide for upcoming matches shows Australia plays again on February 12 against Zimbabwe.
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