Colombo: Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa delivered a clinical bowling masterclass, taking four wickets each, as Australia registered a dominating 67-run win against Ireland after bowling them out for just 115 runs in 16.5 overs in their first match of the T20 World Cup 2026 at the iconic R. Premadasa Stadium on Wednesday.
Chasing a big total of 182 runs, Ireland were off to a shaky start as their captain, Paul Stirling, who missed the field during the first innings, retired hurt after playing just one ball. Stirling pulled up a hamstring and was facing difficulty in walking.
After the captain’s departure, Ross Adair smashed 11 runs off the next five balls but lost his partner Harry Tector (0), who was caught by Cameron Green in the second over.
Fast bowler Ellis came on to bowl the third over and clean bowled Adair, who was looking in good touch, off the very first ball. Adair scored 12 runs off nine balls.
Ellis then caused more damage as he dismissed Curtis Campher (4) in the same over. The 31-year-old clean bowled Benjamin Calitz on the first ball of his next over. With this, the Australian took three wickets in just seven balls in the tournament.
Australia got another breakthrough just after the powerplay when Gareth Delany, who had previously dropped the catch of Stoinis, was undone by leg spinner Adam Zampa.
As Ireland were reeling at 43/5 at one stage, Lorcan Tucker forged a 46-run partnership with George Dockrell to get the team back in the chase.
Their partnership provided some momentum but was short-lived as Zampa caught Tucker off guard in the 14th over. Tucker scored 24 runs off 27 balls.
After losing Tucker, Dockrell continued his attack but missed a well-deserved fifty as he was stumped on 41 in the 16th over. Dockrell scored at a strike rate of 141 and hammered three fours and two sixes during his stay at the crease.
Zampa completed his four-wicket haul by sending Mark Adair to the pavilion in the same over. Ellis also joined Zampa in the four-wicket haul as he dismissed Barry McCarthy, which proved to be the last wicket of the innings as Stirling decided not to bat again after his injury. Matthew Kuhnemann also took one wicket in his four overs.
Earlier, a 61-run partnership between Matthew Renshaw and Marcus Stoinis helped Australia reach 182/6 in 20 overs. Coming in to bat after winning the toss, Australia were off to a bad start as their stand-in captain, Travis Head, was run out on the seventh ball of the innings after a mix-up with his opening partner, Josh Inglis. Head scored just six runs off seven balls and hit one four.
After the early wicket, Inglis and Cameron Green played with positive intent and attacked the Ireland bowlers fiercely. The duo forged a partnership of 49 runs off just 23 balls before Green was dismissed on the last ball of the fifth over while attempting to hit a six off Mark Adair. Green scored 21 runs off just 11 balls and provided momentum to the batting side with two sixes and one four.
Inglis continued the attack by hitting two boundaries in the next two overs but was eventually caught by captain Paul Stirling at cover in the seventh over. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 37 runs off just 17 balls. Inglis also hammered six boundaries and one six.
Australia were at 90/4 at the midway stage, and as Ireland hoped to inflict further damage, Renshaw and Stoinis forged a 61-run partnership, aided by Ireland’s sloppy fielding. The duo adopted a boundary-less approach at the start as they continuously rotated the strike, putting pressure on the opposition, who were searching for a wicket. Renshaw departed after scoring 37 runs off 33 balls, while Stoinis scored 45 runs off just 29 balls.
Brief Scores: Ireland 115/10 in 16.5 overs (George Dockrell 41, Locran Tuckar 24; Nathan Ellis 4-12, Adam Zampa 4-23) lost to Australia 182/6 in 20 overs (Marcus Stoinis 45, Matt Renshaw 37; Mark Adair 2-44, Harry Tector 1-24) by 67 runs.
(IANS)
