Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium witnessed high drama on Sunday as Sri Lanka clinched a 20-run win against Ireland in T20 World Cup 2026’s sixth fixture. Maheesh Theekshana’s near-hat-trick in the death overs proved the turning point, leaving fans on the edge of their seats.
Opting to bowl first, Ireland watched Sri Lanka recover from early jolts to reach 163/6. The innings kicked off steadily with Nissanka and Mishara’s 28-run opening partnership. Mishara departed soon after, but Nissanka (24 off 23) and Kusal Mendis built momentum.
A mini-collapse saw four wickets tumble by 86, testing Sri Lanka’s resolve. Enter the Mendis duo: Kusal’s anchoring 56* (43 balls, 5×4) and Kamindu’s fireworks (44 off 19, 4×4, 2×6) forged a match-defining 67-run stand in 29 balls, pushing the total beyond par.
Barry McCarthy and George Dockrell led Ireland’s attack with twin two-wicket hauls, supported by Adair and Delany.
Ireland’s pursuit started brightly with Stirling and Adair’s 24, but soon unraveled. Tector (40 off 34) and Tucker’s 49-run alliance offered resistance, crossing 100, yet the asking rate proved too steep. From 120/5, they added mere 23 more.
Sri Lanka’s spinners dominated: Theekshana (3/??) nearly etched his name in lights with three wickets in four balls of the 17th over, denied a hat-trick. Hasaranga matched with 3 scalps, Pathirana bagged 2, and Chameera plus Wellalage chipped in.
Sri Lanka’s blend of resilience and spin wizardry shines through, positioning them strongly in the qualifiers while Ireland rues missed opportunities in the chase.