T20 World Cup 2026: Australia vs Ireland, Match 14 – Full highlights, top moments & winner details

Australia began their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign against Ireland under testing circumstances, arriving in Colombo with a depleted squad hit by injuries and without their lead fast bowler. The situation worsened on match morning when regular T20I captain Mitchell Marsh was ruled out, prompting Travis Head to step in as stand-in captain for the opening fixture.

In the 14th match of the tournament, Australia won the toss and chose to bat first on a surface that gradually became slower and more challenging for stroke-making. Their innings suffered an early setback when Head was dismissed early. However, Josh Inglis and Cameron Green steadied the ship with a fluent powerplay partnership that proved decisive on the sluggish pitch.

Inglis was the real enforcer of the innings, striking 37 off just 17 deliveries at a strike rate of 217, applying early pressure and ensuring Australia capitalized on the fielding restrictions. Green provided support before Australia transitioned into a more calculated approach as conditions deteriorated.

During the middle overs, Matt Renshaw and Marcus Stoinis took control, focusing on strike rotation and selective boundary-hitting. Stoinis played a particularly measured yet aggressive knock, accelerating when required and ensuring Australia did not lose momentum. Australia’s batters made excellent use of the ground dimensions, running hard between the wickets and consistently converting singles into twos to keep the scoreboard moving.

That disciplined approach enabled Australia to post a competitive 182 for six in their 20 overs, a total that proved well above par on the slow surface. In response, Ireland never found any rhythm in the chase, losing the majority of their top order inside the powerplay and eventually being bowled out for 115.

Nathan Ellis spearheaded Australia’s bowling effort with clever variations in pace, while Adam Zampa dismantled the middle order with his leg-spin. The duo finished with four wickets each from their four overs, ensuring Ireland were never in contention as Australia sealed a commanding 67-run victory.

Top batting performance: Marcus Stoinis 

Marcus Stoinis emerged as the standout batter for Australia, ensuring stability through a crucial phase of the innings. He stitched together a long and steady partnership with Matt Renshaw, focusing on preserving wickets while keeping the scoreboard moving. Stoinis scored 45 off 29 deliveries, picking up the odd boundary and accelerating whenever required. He finished with a strike rate of 155, striking two fours and one six to anchor Australia’s middle-overs effort.

Top bowling performance: Nathan Ellis 

Nathan Ellis was the standout bowler for Australia, proving extremely difficult to pick on a surface that rewarded variation. His slower deliveries were particularly deceptive and became increasingly effective as the pitch slowed down. Ellis finished with outstanding figures of four wickets for just 12 runs in 3.5 overs, playing a decisive role in dismantling Ireland’s chase.

Records Broken and Major Milestones Achieved

• 182/6 is Australia’s second-highest team total without an individual 50+ score in Men’s T20 World Cup history, behind only 201/7 vs England at Bridgetown, Barbados (2024).
• Australia ran 22 doubles in this innings the most ever by a team in a Men’s T20 World Cup match.
• The 22 twos are also the joint second-most in a T20I innings by a full-member side (where data is available), alongside
  Zimbabwe vs Ireland (Harare, 2025) and New Zealand vs UAE (Dubai, 2024)

Who was the Player of the Match?

Nathan Ellis was awarded the Player of the Match for a decisive spell that effectively shut the door on Ireland’s chase. The Australian seamer struck early and never let the batters settle, using his variations smartly and repeatedly deceiving the Irish lineup with well-disguised slower deliveries. Once the initial breakthroughs came, the pressure only tightened.

Ellis finished with outstanding figures, dismissing Ross Adair, Benjamin Calitz, Barry McCarthy and Curtis Campher, while conceding just 12 runs at a superb economy rate of 3.1. His control through the middle overs ensured Ireland were never in contention, turning the chase into a one-sided affair well before the finish.

When is the next match?

The next match begins at 7:00 PM today at the Wankhede Stadium, with West Indies facing England in a marquee evening clash, after which Australia will take on Zimbabwe on February 13 in an 11:00 AM fixture in Colombo, while Ireland are set to face Oman on February 14, also in an 11:00 AM match at the same venue.