T20 World Cup: Sri Lanka Faces Ireland in Sixth Match Amid Malinga's Injury Setback

Colombo. The sixth match of the T20 World Cup will be held today between Sri Lanka and Ireland. The match will start at 7:15 PM at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Sri Lanka suffered a major blow even before the tournament began. Fast bowler Ishan Malinga has been ruled out of the competition due to a shoulder injury. Pramod Madushan has taken his place in the squad.

• Team Form

Sri Lanka lost the T20 series against England just before the World Cup. The team was defeated 0-3 on home soil.

Last year, the team failed to reach the final of the Asia Cup. On the other hand, Ireland defeated Italy 2-1 in a T20 series in January.

• Ireland Has Never Defeated Sri Lanka

A total of 3 matches have been played between Sri Lanka and Ireland in T20s so far. Sri Lanka has won all the matches. All three of these matches were played in the World Cup.

The last time these two teams faced off was in 2022, where Sri Lanka secured a 9-wicket victory in Hobart.

• Focus on Nissanka and Hasaranga

Pathum Nissanka has been Sri Lanka's highest run-scorer since 2024. He has scored 1339 runs in 42 matches at a strike rate of 143.05.

Similarly, Wanindu Hasaranga is the team's leading wicket-taker, having claimed 60 wickets in 36 matches.

• Eyes on Adair and Tector

For Ireland, Harry Tector is the top scorer since 2024 with 620 runs. His best score is 96 runs.

In bowling, Mark Adair has taken 37 wickets in 23 matches. He is the team's leading wicket-taker.

• Pitch and Weather

It will be cloudy throughout the day in Colombo, but the chance of rain is low. The temperature will be between 24 and 31 degrees Celsius.

• Pitch Report

The pitch at the R. Premadasa Stadium is 'spin friendly', and low-scoring games can be expected here. Teams might opt to bat first after winning the toss. Since dew is not expected to be a factor in Colombo, teams might choose to defend a total.

Probable Playing-XI for Both Teams

• Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (Wicketkeeper), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka (Captain), Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, and Dushmantha Chameera.

• Ireland: Paul Stirling (Captain), Ross Adair, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (Wicketkeeper), Curtis Campher, Benjamin White, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, and Joshua Little.