Australia will be challenged by Ireland in the 14th match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, will host this game on 11th February 2026 at 3 PM IST.
Australia’s coming off a 0-3 T20I series defeat against Pakistan. They will be without the pace trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood for this T20 World Cup. But despite all this, one thing we know is that the Aussies always find a way to bounce back.
Mitchell Marsh, Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, and Marcus Stoinis form a strong batting core, with Nathan Ellis leading the bowling with Xavier Bartlett and Ben Dwarshuis. Adam Zampa will be the lead spinner. The Aussies are looking pretty good on paper, but it’ll be interesting to see how their bowlers go on in this tournament.
Ireland, on the other hand, lost their first game against Sri Lanka by 20 runs. They were in the game but got off track while chasing down 163 runs. George Dockrell (2 wickets for 17 runs) bowled well, with Harry Tector (40 runs) and Ross Adair (34 runs) showing some fight with the bat.
The Irish batters including skipper Paul Stirling must step up in this crucial game to keep their hopes alive for qualifying to the Super 8 round.
ICC T20 World Cup 2026 12th Match: AUS vs IRE Probable Playing XIs
Australia: 1. Mitchell Marsh (c), 2. Travis Head, 3. Cameron Green, 4. Josh Inglis (wk), 5. Matthew Renshaw, 6. Glenn Maxwell, 7. Marcus Stoinis, 8. Ben Dwarshuis/Matthew Kuhnemann, 9. Xavier Bartlett, 10. Nathan Ellis, 11. Adam Zapma
Ireland: 1. Paul Stirling (c), 2. Ross Adair, 3. Harry Tector, 4. Lorcan Tucket (wk) 5. Curtis Campher, 6. Benjamin Calitz, 7. Gareth Delaney, 8. George Dockrell, 9. Mark Adair, 10. Barry McCarthy, 11. Matthew Humphreys
R. Premadasa Stadium Colombo Pitch Report and Weather
The first match played at this venue in the tournament saw a slow wicket. Spinners dominated, and the batters had to earn their runs. It’s expected to be similar for this game too. Teams may prefer chasing, but batting first won’t be a bad option either. Scores in the range of 150-160 are expected in this game.
The weather will be mostly cloudy, with the temperature being around 29 degrees Celsius with 54% humidity at the start of the match.
Fantasy Cricket Tips for AUS vs IRE: Players to Watch/Key Stats
Top Wicket-Keeper Picks:
- Josh Inglis will be a key batter for Australia. He’s a good player of spin bowling and the conditions are expected to aid the spinners in this game. He plays shots all around the park and will be a must in your fantasy teams.
Key batter picks:
- Mitchell Marsh likes to attack from the first ball. He will look to exploit the powerplay to the fullest. He’s approach may be a little riskier but he’s done it consistently in the last few months. Marsh can get his side off to a good start and gain the upper hand in the first six overs itself.
- Travis Head is another aggressive opener and a must have in your fantasy teams. He’s just known for scoring big runs in few balls and likes performing in the ICC tournaments. Head will be a popular C/VC option too.
- Cameron Green is likely to bat at 3 for Australia. He has played aggressively at 3 since his return from injury. Green just takes on the bowlers from the word go and will be a top fantasy pick. He will be a good captain choice as well.
Top all-rounder picks:
- Glenn Maxwell will be the second spinner for Australia after Zampa. He can bowl in the powerplay as well. We all know how destructive he can be with the bat, despite his poor form in the BBL. Maxwell’s all-round skillset makes him an ideal fantasy pick.
- George Dockrell boweld really well in the first game against Sri Lanka: 4-17-2. He can also tonk the ball down the order. Dockrell will be a key player for Ireland and in fantasy cricket as he can fetch points from both bat and ball.
- Marcus Stoinis has been in great form lately, especially with the bat. He is middling the ball nicely and will bowl crucial overs for Australia. Stoinis uses the cutters and variations a lot which will be effective in this game. His role with the bat increases in Tim David’s absence. He’s a good C/VC option as well.
Key bowler picks:
- Adam Zampa will love the conditions in this game. He’s a genuine wicket-taker and picks up wickets in clusters on his day. Zampa can trouble Ireland’s middle order in this match. Try him as captain in some of your teams.
- Nathan Ellis will lead Australia’s pace attack. He can bowl in any phase of the innings and is a death overs specialist with his yorkers and back of the hand slower delivery. A must pick for this game.
Other Players to Consider for Your Fantasy Cricket Teams
- Xavier Bartlett
- Mark Adair
- Paul Stirling
- Harry Tector
Other Matchups and Facts
- Head-to-head: Matches 2, Australia 2, Ireland 0.
- Australia has lost 4 of their last 5 T20Is with one being washed out due to rain.
ICC T20 World Cup 2026 12th Match: AUS vs IRE Dream11 Prediction Today
Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article, as well as your own instincts, to create your teams.
Option 1:

Option 2:

ICC T20 World Cup 2026 12th Match: AUS vs IRE Match Prediction: Who will win?
Despite Australia’s poor form in the recent past, they will start as the favorites to win this game. Ireland will have to be at their best with the bat if they are to defeat the Aussies.
Australia to win.
Disclaimer: The fantasy cricket stats, tips and predictions provided on CricBlog are intended for informational purposes for Dream11 free contests in line with the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025. The stats and writer’s views are in place to guide fans in creating their teams. While we strive to offer accurate and insightful advice, CricBlog does not guarantee success or winnings in any fantasy contests. Users are encouraged to make their own informed decisions and play responsibly.
All statistics and matchups in this article have been verified by ESPNcricinfo, and Cricmetric.















