Australia will face Ireland in the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup. Australia’s match against Ireland will be Ireland’s second game after taking on hosts Sri Lanka. Australia suffered a heavy defeat against Pakistan; however, they are still one of the favorites for this match.

While Mitchell Marsh will lead them in the ICC T20 World Cup for the first time, Ireland will be led by their most experienced batsman Paul Sterling. The Australian team has suffered a number of injuries heading into the tournament and has struggled to capitalize on counter-spin, which is crucial when competing on subcontinental circuits.

This article will provide a preview of the 14th match between AUS and IRE, including pitch report, weather forecast, head-to-head record, possible lineups and live broadcast details.

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AUS vs IRE T20 World Cup match preview:

Competition date: Australia’s match against Ireland will be played on Wednesday, February 11.

Place: The match will be held at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.

time: The match is expected to start at 3:00 pm IST.

Australia vs IRE:

Australian team: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Devasius, Matthew Kuehneman, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Renshaw, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marcus Stonis and Adam Zampa

Ireland Team: Paul Stirling (c), Curtis Campfer, Harry Turktow, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Ben Kallis, George Dockrell, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Matthew Humphreys, Tim Turktow, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White and Craig Young.

AUS vs IRE possible lineups:

Australia XI: Mitchell Marsh (c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Tim David, Marcus Stoinis, Cooper Connolly, Glenn Maxwell, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa/Matthew Kuehneman.

Ireland lineup: Paul Stirling (c), Ross Adair, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Harry Turktow, Curtis Campfer, Ben Kalitz, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Josh Little and Matthew Humphreys.

AUS vs IRE Key Game 14

Paul Sterling vs Cooper Connolly

Veteran Ireland batsman Paul Stirling had many records in his favor when he arrived in India. Sterling has scored a lot of runs for Ireland over the years and we will once again see Sterling guarding the innings in the powerplay. He will have to face Cooper Connolly, who will likely get the ball again on the power play. Connolly can find some semblance of control which will be vital to Australia’s success in the power struggle.

Travis Hyde VS Mark Adair

Mark Adair has been an Irishman for a long time. However, it is difficult to resist the impact of the bat of the legendary Travis Head when the match is likely to be played in the subcontinent. The explosive opening batsmen from Australia are likely to be stopped first in order to prevent Australia from winning the game early.

Mitchell Marsh vs Josh Little

Australia captain Mitchell Marsh is another explosive top-order batsman for the Kangaroos. Marsh has been in great form in the Perth Scorchers squad of late and Australia’s T20 World Cup success will largely depend on him. Left-arm pacer Josh Little can stay away from Mitchell Marsh and play to his strengths.

Tim David vs Gareth Delany

The explosive Australian batsman, who was ruled out of the BBL and Pakistan series due to injury, is likely to return to the Australian batting order. David is Australia’s most in-form batsman and his return will strengthen their middle order. Delani, the leg-spinner, can be used to dismiss big mid-order maestro as he often aims to fire spinners but also loses shape at times and gets caught in the deep.

Main players of AUS vs IRE Game 14:

Australia: Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Cameron Green, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa

Ireland: Paul Sterling, Josh Little, Harry Turktow, Mark Adair

AUS vs IRE Match 14 – Free Live Streaming and Telecast Details

Indian TV broadcast: The 14th match between Australia and Ireland of the 2026 T20 World Cup will be broadcast live on Star Sports Network.

Live online broadcast in India: Fans can watch the match live on the Jio Hotstar app/website.

AUS vs IRE Weather and Pitch Report – Colombo

Colombo AUS vs IRE weather forecast:

The weather in Colombo for Wednesday’s match is expected to be ideal for cricket. While the chance of precipitation is slim, the daytime temperatures will be high and the team batting first will be tired on the track and won’t be able to get fast runs anyway.

Pitch report from R. Premadasa Stadium AUS and IRE:

The pitch at R. Premadasa Stadium is a friendly track for spin lovers. The ball shows over-spin right from the start and often finds some good grip on the surface, making it more difficult for batsmen to chase the ball on this pitch. Such a track helps the team bat first as it is a low-scoring venue with the average score in the first innings being around 150 runs.

AUS vs IRE head to head records

AUS vs IRE head-to-head results: key statistics

According to ESPNCricinfo, Australia and Ireland have not met several times in the shortest competition. However, Australia are the only team to win in all their competitions, while Ireland have failed to register a single win.

AUS vs IRE head to head record: last match

Australia have dominated recent encounters, including two convincing wins in past World Cups. Experience gaps are a key factor in these results. The two had played against the same opponent at the same venue in the ICC T20 World Cup.

AUS vs IRE head to head records – previous results:

AUS vs IRE Match 14 – Conclusion:

Australia will be looking to find a good performance in the shortest format while Ireland make a comeback heading into the T20 World Cup. Australia, who are struggling with spin, will look to settle down before playing on the spin-friendly track at the R. Premadasa Stadium.