Ireland T20 World Cup Squad 2026

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8. The event will host 20 teams competing across 55 matches. Ireland enter the tournament aiming to progress into the Super 8 phase and build on recent T20 performances.

Ireland will play in Group B alongside Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Oman. Their challenge lies in achieving consistency against stronger opposition, while exploiting opportunities against emerging sides. Led by Paul Stirling, the squad carries a balanced mix of experience and developing talent.

Batters	Bowlers	All-rounders
Paul Stirling (Captain)	Josh Little	Curtis Campher
Harry Tector	Barry McCarthy	Gareth Delany
Lorcan Tucker (wk)	Craig Young	George Dockrell
Ross Adair	Matthew Humphreys	Mark Adair
Ben Calitz	Ben White	—
Tim Tector	—	—

Final squad confirmation will be announced by Cricket Ireland closer to the event.

Table of Contents

Leadership and Team Management

Captain: Paul Stirling Vice-Captain (expected): Mark Adair Head Coach: Heinrich Malan

Paul Stirling provides strategic batting leadership at the top, while Mark Adair delivers depth in both batting and bowling roles. Heinrich Malan continues to bring structural planning and continuity, focusing on adaptability across Indian-Sri Lankan conditions.

Ireland’s Group for the 2026 T20 World Cup

Team	Qualification Route
Australia	Secured qualification from T20 WC 2024
Sri Lanka	Host nation
Ireland	ICC T20I rankings
Zimbabwe	Africa Qualification
Oman	Asia/East Asia-Pacific Qualification

Ireland’s Group Fixtures – Dates and Venues

Date	Match	Venue	Local Time	GMT
February 8	Sri Lanka vs Ireland	R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo	7:00 PM	13:30
February 11	Australia vs Ireland	R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo	3:00 PM	09:30
February 14	Ireland vs Oman	Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo	11:00 AM	05:30
February 17	Ireland vs Zimbabwe	Pallekele International Cricket Stadium	3:00 PM	09:30

These fixtures will determine Ireland’s progress toward the Super 8 stage, with the matches against Oman and Zimbabwe being crucial.

Predicted Playing XI (Based on Roles)

Batters	Bowlers	All-rounders
Paul Stirling	Josh Little	Curtis Campher
Ross Adair	Barry McCarthy	George Dockrell
Lorcan Tucker	Ben White	Mark Adair
Harry Tector	—	Gareth Delany

Standby options: Tim Tector, Craig Young, Matthew Humphreys, Ben Calitz

Strengths and Key Team Analysis

Depth Across Skill Sets

Ireland possess stability in batting through Stirling, Tucker and Harry Tector, while Campher and Dockrell provide finishing options.

Variety in Bowling

Fast pace threat from Josh Little
Swing and seam capability from Mark Adair and McCarthy
Spin attack from Ben White and Dockrell

This variation benefits them particularly in Sri Lankan conditions.

Lower-order Support

Mark Adair and Curtis Campher offer valuable runs at positions 6–8, extending batting depth.

Flexible All-round Options

Ireland can easily include six or more bowling contributors without weakening the batting order.

Pathway and Tournament Prospects

To qualify for the Super 8 stage, Ireland will need to secure wins against Oman and Zimbabwe, while targeting a breakthrough performance against Sri Lanka. Their bowling strength in the powerplay and ability to maintain composure in middle overs will define success.

A strong start in the opening fixture against Sri Lanka could create significant positive momentum for the group stage.

Conclusion

Ireland approach the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 with a versatile and promising squad led by Paul Stirling. Their roster reflects balance between pace resources, spin depth, and adaptable middle-order players. With effective execution during key match phases, Ireland hold genuine potential to progress beyond the group stage and establish themselves among the competitive mid-tier cricket nations.