115/10 (16.5)
CR : 6.83
182/6 (20.0)
CR : 9.10
Australia won by 67 runs 🏆
Player of the Match
Nathan Ellis
4/12
Biggest Win for Australia in T20 WCs (By Runs):
81 vs Sri Lanka, Bridgetown, 2010
67 vs Ireland, Colombo (RPS), 2026 (TODAY)*
49 vs India, Bridgetown, 2010
81 vs Sri Lanka, Bridgetown, 2010
67 vs Ireland, Colombo (RPS), 2026 (TODAY)*
49 vs India, Bridgetown, 2010
Biggest Win in Colombo (RPS) in T20 WCs (By Runs):
116 runs – England vs Afghanistan, 2012
90 runs – India vs England, 2012
74 runs – West Indies vs Australia, 2012
67 runs – Australia vs Ireland, 2026 (TODAY)*
36 runs – West Indies vs Sri Lanka, 2012
116 runs – England vs Afghanistan, 2012
90 runs – India vs England, 2012
74 runs – West Indies vs Australia, 2012
67 runs – Australia vs Ireland, 2026 (TODAY)*
36 runs – West Indies vs Sri Lanka, 2012
Best Bowling Figure for Nathan Ellis in T20Is:
4/12 vs Ireland, Colombo (RPS), 2026 (TODAY)*
4/28 vs Pakistan, Lahore, 2022
3/9 vs Pakistan, Brisbane, 2024
4/12 vs Ireland, Colombo (RPS), 2026 (TODAY)*
4/28 vs Pakistan, Lahore, 2022
3/9 vs Pakistan, Brisbane, 2024
Biggest Defeat for Ireland in T20 WCs (By Runs):
83 runs vs New Zealand, Nottingham, 2009
70 runs vs Sri Lanka, Abu Dhabi, 2021
70 runs vs West Indies, Providence, 2010
67 runs vs Australia, Colombo (RPS), 2026 (TODAY)*
42 runs vs Australia, Brisbane, 2022
83 runs vs New Zealand, Nottingham, 2009
70 runs vs Sri Lanka, Abu Dhabi, 2021
70 runs vs West Indies, Providence, 2010
67 runs vs Australia, Colombo (RPS), 2026 (TODAY)*
42 runs vs Australia, Brisbane, 2022
4+ Wickets by 2 Bowlers in an innings in T20 WCs:
Pakistan vs Scotland, Durban, 2007 (Umar Gul & Shahid Afridi)
Afghanistan vs Scotland, Sharjah, 2021 (Mujeeb Ur Rahman & Rashid Khan)
Afghanistan vs New Zealand, Providence, 2024 (Fazalhaq Farooqi & Rashid Khan)
Afghanistan vs Bangladesh, Kingstown, 2024 (Naveen-Ul-Haq & Rashid Khan)
Australia vs Ireland, Colombo (RPS), 2026 (TODAY)* (Nathan Ellis & Adam Zampa)
Pakistan vs Scotland, Durban, 2007 (Umar Gul & Shahid Afridi)
Afghanistan vs Scotland, Sharjah, 2021 (Mujeeb Ur Rahman & Rashid Khan)
Afghanistan vs New Zealand, Providence, 2024 (Fazalhaq Farooqi & Rashid Khan)
Afghanistan vs Bangladesh, Kingstown, 2024 (Naveen-Ul-Haq & Rashid Khan)
Australia vs Ireland, Colombo (RPS), 2026 (TODAY)* (Nathan Ellis & Adam Zampa)
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: NATHAN ELLIS
Nathan Ellis (Player of the Match): (On playing in India and the pitch conditions) “It’s probably more the unknown of what you’re going to get. I’ve been here a few times, and the surfaces can be a bit of a mixed bag. Watching the earlier games at this venue, there seemed to be a lot of spin through the middle and some slower wickets. So we had a bit of an idea coming in, but for me it was about adapting on the fly. I’d had some time off back home, so I was just really keen to get started.
(On the absence of Australia’s senior fast bowlers) "I’ll definitely bring the average height down, that’s for sure,” (laughs). But we’ve actually played a lot of cricket together over the last 18 months without the big three. Guys like Xavier Bartlett, Sean Abbott, and others have stepped in, and we’ve built good combinations. The planning and processes we’ve developed give us confidence that we can still perform strongly.
(On the slower ball that brought early success) That decision came after watching the first few overs. There wasn’t much swing or seam on offer, so it sort of dictated what I needed to do. I just tried to read the conditions from the boundary and adjust accordingly.
(On varying pace and speed differences) For me, when I go pace-on, especially on wickets like these, I try to hit the deck as hard as I can. The key is keeping the arm speed consistent while creating as much variation in ball speed as possible. That’s something I focus on a lot.
(On Adam Zampa’s performance) Zamps was superb again. Sometimes he bowls spells like that, and we almost take it for granted, but he’s genuinely one of the best in the world. He’s going to play a huge role for us in this tournament.
(On the middle-order partnership) I have to mention that partnership as well. I had my pads on earlier than I would’ve liked (smiles). But the way the middle order built that stand gave us a total we could work with and allowed the bowlers to apply pressure.”
(On the absence of Australia’s senior fast bowlers) "I’ll definitely bring the average height down, that’s for sure,” (laughs). But we’ve actually played a lot of cricket together over the last 18 months without the big three. Guys like Xavier Bartlett, Sean Abbott, and others have stepped in, and we’ve built good combinations. The planning and processes we’ve developed give us confidence that we can still perform strongly.
(On the slower ball that brought early success) That decision came after watching the first few overs. There wasn’t much swing or seam on offer, so it sort of dictated what I needed to do. I just tried to read the conditions from the boundary and adjust accordingly.
(On varying pace and speed differences) For me, when I go pace-on, especially on wickets like these, I try to hit the deck as hard as I can. The key is keeping the arm speed consistent while creating as much variation in ball speed as possible. That’s something I focus on a lot.
(On Adam Zampa’s performance) Zamps was superb again. Sometimes he bowls spells like that, and we almost take it for granted, but he’s genuinely one of the best in the world. He’s going to play a huge role for us in this tournament.
(On the middle-order partnership) I have to mention that partnership as well. I had my pads on earlier than I would’ve liked (smiles). But the way the middle order built that stand gave us a total we could work with and allowed the bowlers to apply pressure.”
Lorcan Tucker (Stand-in Captain for Ireland): "(On Paul Stirling's injury) Yeah, I think he took a bit of a knock on his knee while trying to take that catch in the first innings. Pretty unfortunate to lose him like that. He was pretty brave to go out there and see the second innings off to a good start but unfortunately he couldn't. Oh yes! He has had so much success at the top of the order for us and it was a big blow for us.
(General thoughts on the game) Well, we had a chat about the surface after our previous game. We probably didn't start as well as we would've liked today. Our spinners made a great effort to pull things back in the middle phase but ultimately they finished the innings really well which comes down to experience. We lost wickets in our own powerplay and got off to a pretty poor start. We tried to get back in the game but unfortunately we couldn't. These things happen sometimes.
(What was a good score to chase?) I think 150-160 was in our mind and it was something that was gettable. The way we setup, I think we felt that we could target that. They probably got a few more than that. Credit goes to them with the way they played. They controlled the game really well and they played our spinners really well.
(On preparations for the next game) There is still plenty to play. We heard that there was a couple of super overs in a different group game. These things happen in cricket. We will try to comeback stronger in the next game."
(General thoughts on the game) Well, we had a chat about the surface after our previous game. We probably didn't start as well as we would've liked today. Our spinners made a great effort to pull things back in the middle phase but ultimately they finished the innings really well which comes down to experience. We lost wickets in our own powerplay and got off to a pretty poor start. We tried to get back in the game but unfortunately we couldn't. These things happen sometimes.
(What was a good score to chase?) I think 150-160 was in our mind and it was something that was gettable. The way we setup, I think we felt that we could target that. They probably got a few more than that. Credit goes to them with the way they played. They controlled the game really well and they played our spinners really well.
(On preparations for the next game) There is still plenty to play. We heard that there was a couple of super overs in a different group game. These things happen in cricket. We will try to comeback stronger in the next game."
Travis Head (Australia Captain): (On starting the tournament without much practice) “It feels like we’ve been here for a while, so it was a nice start to the tournament. It’s always good to get that first game underway. I thought the boys played really well, so it’s an exciting way for us to begin.
(On what stood out in the match) It was really a combination of things. The partnership in the middle overs was extremely solid - it kept the momentum going and helped us reach a very good total. Then, the way our bowlers performed in the second innings was exceptional. They’re the leaders of our attack, so it was great to see them step up.
(On adapting to challenging conditions) The conditions were a bit tricky today, and they might be completely different in a couple of days. We’ve spoken a lot about problem-solving and adapting on the go. We want to maintain our aggressive intent, which has been our strength over the last few years. I thought we did that nicely today, even if it meant scoring in different ways - rotating strike, running hard, and accelerating at the right moments.
(On balancing aggression with game awareness) We aim to keep attacking throughout the innings, but that can look different depending on the surface. Today we focused on building partnerships, picking up twos, and then finishing strongly at the back end. The key is being flexible and adjusting to what the conditions demand.
(On handling expectations in a World Cup) There’s always an expectation in tournaments like this. That’s part of playing World Cup cricket. The challenge is to handle high-pressure situations and navigate your way through them. Getting the first win is a great starting point, but there’s still a long way to go.
(On the team mindset going forward) It’s a fun group to be around, and we’re enjoying each other’s company. The focus is on continuing to play good cricket and improving as the tournament progresses. You’re not going to win a World Cup in the first game, but it’s nice to get off to a positive start and build momentum towards the business end.”
(On what stood out in the match) It was really a combination of things. The partnership in the middle overs was extremely solid - it kept the momentum going and helped us reach a very good total. Then, the way our bowlers performed in the second innings was exceptional. They’re the leaders of our attack, so it was great to see them step up.
(On adapting to challenging conditions) The conditions were a bit tricky today, and they might be completely different in a couple of days. We’ve spoken a lot about problem-solving and adapting on the go. We want to maintain our aggressive intent, which has been our strength over the last few years. I thought we did that nicely today, even if it meant scoring in different ways - rotating strike, running hard, and accelerating at the right moments.
(On balancing aggression with game awareness) We aim to keep attacking throughout the innings, but that can look different depending on the surface. Today we focused on building partnerships, picking up twos, and then finishing strongly at the back end. The key is being flexible and adjusting to what the conditions demand.
(On handling expectations in a World Cup) There’s always an expectation in tournaments like this. That’s part of playing World Cup cricket. The challenge is to handle high-pressure situations and navigate your way through them. Getting the first win is a great starting point, but there’s still a long way to go.
(On the team mindset going forward) It’s a fun group to be around, and we’re enjoying each other’s company. The focus is on continuing to play good cricket and improving as the tournament progresses. You’re not going to win a World Cup in the first game, but it’s nice to get off to a positive start and build momentum towards the business end.”
A commanding and clinical display from the Aussies as they well and truly announce themselves in the T20 World Cup 2026! Ireland, meanwhile, have now suffered back-to-back defeats and will need to regroup quickly. Australia were dominant in all departments and have thrashed Ireland by 67 runs in a statement performance.
You can now switch tabs as the third and final game of the day is all set to get underway between England and West Indies at the iconic Wankhede Stadium.
For now, this is Pritam Dey signing off on behalf of my co-commentators Akshay Bhide and Dev Rajawat who, along with scorer/analyst Bishal Mandal & statistician Aman brought all the updates of this clash. Stay tuned for more cricketing action from around the world. BYE BYE👋
You can now switch tabs as the third and final game of the day is all set to get underway between England and West Indies at the iconic Wankhede Stadium.
For now, this is Pritam Dey signing off on behalf of my co-commentators Akshay Bhide and Dev Rajawat who, along with scorer/analyst Bishal Mandal & statistician Aman brought all the updates of this clash. Stay tuned for more cricketing action from around the world. BYE BYE👋