Fresh from a remarkable victory over former T20World Cup champions Australia, Zimbabwe head into Tuesday’s clash against Ireland brimming with confidence. The African side now has a golden opportunity to secure a maiden Super 8 qualification in the T20 World Cup 2026. Another win would take Zimbabwe to six points and extend their unbeaten run in the group stage, strengthening their position in the tournament.
Ireland, meanwhile, approach the contest after a comfortable win over Oman – a result that restored some confidence following earlier setbacks. The European team suffered defeats in their opening two fixtures against hosts Sri Lanka and Australia, leaving them with limited chances of progressing. Despite having less at stake, Ireland will be keen to finish their campaign positively and test Zimbabwe’s momentum.
IRE vs ZIM, T20 World Cup 2026: Match Details
- Date and Time: February 17 (Tuesday); 3:00 pm IST / 9:30 am GMT
- Venue: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele
IRE vs ZIM, Head-to-Head Record in T20Is
Matches played: 18 | Ireland won: 8 | Zimbabwe won: 8 | No result/Tied: 2
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
The pitch at Pallekele usually offers a great start for batters. It has a solid base and true bounce, which lets stroke-players trust the surface and play their shots freely during the powerplay and early overs. The ball comes onto the bat nicely, helping teams score quickly and build early momentum without taking too many risks.
But the character of the surface changes as the game goes on. The pitch begins to slow down and develops a slightly sticky feel, making timing harder for batters. That’s when bowlers, especially spinners and those who rely on cutters and variations, come into the game. Change of pace becomes far more effective, and run-scoring requires more patience and smart shot selection rather than pure aggression.
Squads
Ireland: Ross Adair, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (c & wk), Curtis Campher, Benjamin Calitz, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Matthew Humphreys, Tim Tector, Joshua Little, Benjamin White, Craig Young, Sam Topping
Zimbabwe: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk), Ryan Burl, Sikandar Raza (c), Dion Myers, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Graeme Cremer, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Ben Curran, Clive Madande, Tinotenda Maposa
IRE vs ZIM, T20 World Cup 2026: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- Ireland wins the toss and bats first
- Ireland’s powerplay score: 40-50 (6 overs)
- Ireland’s total score: 160-170
Case 2:
- Zimbabwe wins the toss and bats first
- Zimbabwe’s powerplay score: 45-55 (6 overs)
- Zimbabwe’s total score: 165-175
Match result: Team batting first to win the contest.
