Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana combined for six wickets to lead Sri Lanka to a 20-run victory over Ireland in their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 game at the R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, on Sunday.

Chasing 164, Ireland struggled against Sri Lanka’s spin attack and were bowled out for 143 in 19.5 overs.

The Irish innings began shakily as Maheesh Theekshana struck early, dismissing skipper Paul Stirling for six off 13 balls, which included a four, in the second delivery of the third over.

Ross Adair and Harry Tector then steadied the innings with a crucial partnership, guiding Ireland past the 50-run mark.

However, Wanindu Hasaranga broke the stand, dismissing Adair for 34 off 23 balls, which included five fours and a six, leaving the team at 56-2 in eight overs.

Tector and Lorcan Tucker tried to rebuild, taking the score past 100 with a valuable 50-run partnership. Dunith Wellalage broke the stand, dismissing Tucker for 21 off 18 balls, including two fours, at 105-3 in 14.2 overs.

Tector continued to impress with a fighting 40 off 34 balls, including a four, before Hasaranga removed him, claiming his third wicket of the match.

The spinners then wreaked havoc as Theekshana dismissed Ben Calitz for four and Gareth Delany for a duck in the same over, reducing Ireland to 120-6 in 16.4 overs.

Curtis Campher fell to Hasaranga, while Dushmantha Chameera accounted for Mark Adair, who scored 10.

Matheesha Pathirana wrapped up the innings by dismissing George Dockrell for nine, and Matthew Humphreys for a duck.

Batting first, Sri Lanka made a steady start through openers Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara, who began accumulating runs early on.

However, their 28-run partnership was broken when Mark Adair dismissed Mishara on the final delivery of the fourth over. Mishara scored 14 off 11 balls, including two boundaries.

Kusal Mendis then joined Nissanka in the middle, and the pair stabilised the innings with a 34-run stand, taking Sri Lanka past the 50-run mark.

The partnership ended when George Dockrell removed Nissanka, who scored 24 off 23 deliveries, including a four and a six, leaving the hosts at 62-2 in 8.2 overs.

Sri Lanka suffered another setback soon after as Dockrell struck again, clean bowling Pavan Rathnayake for five off nine balls.

The pressure mounted further when Dunith Wellalage was dismissed for 10 off 13 deliveries by Gareth Delany, reducing Sri Lanka to 86-4 in 13.5 overs.

Kusal then found solid support from Kamindu Mendis as the duo rebuilt the innings and pushed the total beyond 100. Their crucial 50-run partnership saw Kusal bring up his 18th T20I half-century for Sri Lanka.

The stand was eventually broken in the 19th over when Barry McCarthy dismissed Kamindu, who played a blistering cameo of 44 off 19 balls, featuring four fours and two sixes, with Sri Lanka at 153-5.

McCarthy struck again in the same over to remove skipper Dasun Shanaka for a duck.

Kusal Mendis remained unbeaten on 56 off 43 balls, laced with five fours, while Wanindu Hasaranga managed one run off two deliveries as Sri Lanka closed on 164-6.

Lokesh Bam’s late fireworks proved in vain as England held on to beat Nepal by four runs in a thrilling T20 World Cup 2026 match at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on Sunday.

Chasing 185, Nepal began strongly as openers Kushal Bhurtel and wicketkeeper Aasif Sheikh set the tone with aggressive stroke play. The 37-run partnership was broken when Sheikh fell for seven off nine balls, dismissed by Liam Dawson.

In the final over of the powerplay, Bhurtel was dismissed for 29 off 17 deliveries, featuring four boundaries and a six, leaving Nepal at 42 for 2 in 5.2 overs.

Skipper Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airee then steadied the innings, adding a 50-run partnership to take Nepal past the 100-run mark in 12 overs. Airee looked set for his 11th T20I half-century, troubling England’s bowlers with powerful strokes.

However, Sam Curran broke the 82-run stand by dismissing Airee for 44 off 29 balls, which included six fours and a six.

Shortly after, Rohit Paudel fell to Liam Dawson for 39 off 34 deliveries, featuring two fours and two sixes, reducing Nepal to 126 for 4 in 15.3 overs.

Nepal lost further momentum as Aarif Sheikh was caught by Jofra Archer for 10 off eight balls, including a six, leaving the side at five wickets down.

Lokesh Bam fought back, hitting consecutive sixes off Archer to bring Nepal closer, with 24 runs needed from the final two overs.

In the 19th over, Mark Wood conceded 14 runs but took the key wicket of Gulsan Jha for one, leaving Nepal needing 10 runs off the last over.

Sam Curran bowled the final over, conceding five runs as Nepal fell just short. Lokesh was the standout for Nepal, scoring a quick 39 off 20 balls with four boundaries and two sixes.

Batting first, England made a poor start as opener Phil Salt was dismissed cheaply for one off two deliveries, removed by Sher Malla on the first ball of the second over.

Wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell then stabilised the innings, scoring at a brisk pace with boundaries flowing freely.

However, Nandan Yadav had other plans, dismissing Buttler for a crucial 26 off 17 deliveries, including five boundaries, leaving England reeling at 43-2 in 4.3 overs.

Pressure continued to mount as England lost Tom Banton on the first delivery of the seventh over, dismissed by Sandeep Lamichhane for two off five balls.

Bethell and captain Harry Brook steadied the innings with a sensible partnership, guiding the team toward a competitive total as Bethell brought up his third T20I fifty and helped the side cross the 100-run mark.

The duo put together a 71-run partnership, which ended when Dipendra Singh Airee claimed the important wicket of Jacob Bethell.

Bethell finished his crucial innings with 55 runs off 35 balls, hitting four boundaries and four sixes, taking the team to 128-4 in 13.4 overs.

England were five wickets down when Airee struck again, taking the wicket of Sam Curran. It was Airee’s second of the match, and Curran was dismissed after scoring just two runs off eight deliveries.

Brook continued to pile on runs for his side, taking the total past the 150-run mark and earning a well-deserved sixth T20I fifty.

However, after reaching his milestone, Nandan Yadav claimed the key wicket, ending the captain’s valiant innings of 53 runs off 32 balls, which included four boundaries and three sixes.

Will Jacks remained unbeaten, playing a fiery 18-ball 39 that included one boundary and four sixes, while Archer was run out for one off three deliveries.