Ireland and Zimbabwe are ready to face each other in the 32nd match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele, on Tuesday, February 17. This match is scheduled to begin at 3:00 PM IST. Stay tuned with our IRE vs ZIM prediction, team preview, pitch report, player stats and winner prediction ahead of this exciting contest.
Ireland produced a superb performance in their last match, defeating Oman by a huge margin of 96 runs. Ireland are now fourth in the Group B points table with one win and two losses from three matches. Certainly, Ireland still has a chance of progressing to the next round after a big win in the last match.
On the other hand, Zimbabwe, with a charismatic performance in the last match, defeated a big team like Australia and proved that they too deserve to be in the super 8 stage. Having won both the matches played so far, Zimbabwe is in second place in the points table of Group B. From here, if they win one more match, their entry into the super 8 is likely to be confirmed.
Head-to-Head Record: Till now, a total of 18 T20 matches have been played between Ireland and Zimbabwe, in which both performed outstandingly and won 8 games each.
Ireland Preview
Ireland had a great performance in the last match. They batted first and scored a huge total of 235 runs, in response, Oman was all out after scoring only 139 runs. Thus, Ireland achieved a big victory of 96 runs in the last match. This has certainly saved Ireland from being eliminated from the tournament for now.
In batting, Ireland did not get a good start from the top-order. But captain Lorcan Tucker played a brilliant innings of 94 runs in 51 balls. Apart from him, Gareth Delany and George Dockrell also played good innings of 56 and 35 runs respectively, due to which the team was successful in making a big total of 235.
In the bowling department, Ireland’s Joshua Little performed brilliantly, taking three crucial wickets for 16 runs in four overs. Moreover, Matthew Humphreys and Barry McCarthy also took two wickets each. Certainly, Ireland’s excellent bowling performance was seen in the last match against Oman.
Tip
| Player | Tip | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Lorcan Tucker | Over 29.5 Runs | 1.85 |
Lorcan Tucker smashed a brilliant 94 off 51 balls in the last match and led Ireland to a massive total. He remains their most reliable and aggressive middle-order batter and is well placed to cross this mark again.
Zimbabwe Preview
Zimbabwe produced a historic performance in the last match, defeating Australia by 23 runs. Batting first, Zimbabwe scored 169 runs, in response to which Australia were all out for just 146. This historic victory for Zimbabwe has further increased their chances of reaching the Super 8.
Zimbabwe batted well in their last match against Australia, starting with a good start at the top of the order. Brian Bennett batted superbly, scoring 64 off 56 balls and holding one end strongly. Moreover, Ryan Burl and T Marumani also batted well, both scoring 35 runs each. Apart from them, Sikandar Raza scored 25 runs in 13 balls to give the team a good finish.
In the bowling department, Blessing Muzarabani bowled brilliantly, taking four crucial wickets for 17 runs in four overs. Brad Evans also took three wickets for 23 runs in 3.3 overs. Zimbabwe’s pacers certainly played a key role in their victory against Australia.
Tip
| Player | Tip | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Blessing Muzarabani | Over 1.5 Wickets | 1.85 |
Blessing Muzarabani was outstanding against Australia, taking 4 for 17 in four overs. His pace and accuracy make him Zimbabwe’s biggest bowling threat once again and a strong pick to take multiple wickets.
IRE vs ZIM Probably Playing XI
Ireland: Tim Tector, Ross Adair, Harry Tector (C), Lorcan Tucker, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell (WK), Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Mathew Humphreys, Joshua Little.
Zimbabwe: Brian Bennett, T Marumani (WK), Ryan Burl, Sikandar Raza (C), Dion Myers, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Graeme Cremer.
IRE vs ZIM Pitch Report
The pitch at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele, offers a balanced surface. This surface provides a good bounce and pace, helpful for batters to score freely in the power-play. Spinners bowled well in the first innings, while in the second innings, the impact of fast bowlers was seen more. In the last match played here, Sri Lanka scored a huge total of 225 runs. This proves that if the batsmen play carefully here, they can score well and are also expected to dominate the match.
The weather on Tuesday at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is expected to be light rain, around 22°C with 70% chance of rain, high 91% humidity, and winds near 10 km/h.
Venue T20I Statistics
| Stats | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Matches | 31 |
| Matches won batting first | 16 |
| Matches won bowling first | 12 |
| Average 1st innings Score | 168 |
| Average 2nd innings Score | 145 |
| Highest total recorded | 263/3 (20 Ovs) – AUS vs SL |
| Lowest total recorded | 88/10 (16 Ovs) – NZ vs SL |
| Highest score chased | 178/2 (18.4 Ovs) – PAK vs BAN |
| Lowest score defended | 133/10 (16.2 Ovs) – SL vs ENG |
IRE vs ZIM Winner Prediction
Zimbabwe put up a confident performance to win their last match, making it two consecutive wins in the tournament. They are looking in great form from here and will try their best to secure another win against Ireland to secure a place in the Super 8. Therefore, Zimbabwe will also be the favourites to win this match.
On the other hand, Ireland is also not out of the tournament yet and another win here will be enough to give them a bit more strong position. Apart from this, we have always seen great matches between Ireland and Zimbabwe. So, it will not be easy for Zimbabwe to defeat Ireland.
Our Prediction: Zimbabwe
T20 World Cup 2026 Live Streaming Details
| Region | Where to Watch |
|---|---|
| India | Star Sports, Jio Hotstar |
| Sri Lanka | ThePapare, Dialog Play |
| Pakistan | Myco, Tamasha, Tapmad, ARY Zapp |
| Afghanistan | AF Sports |
| Bangladesh | TSM (via Rabbithole) |
| North America | Willow |
| Middle East & North Africa | E& (selected matches), ICC.tv |
| United Kingdom | Sky Sports, ICC.tv |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | SuperSport, ICC.tv |
| New Zealand | Sky TV NZ , ICC.tv |
| Australia, Europe, Caribbean, SE Asia, Pacific Islands, South America | ICC.tv |
Code: TOPBK
