reland vs Zimbabwe, 32nd Match, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Group B, is set for February 17, 2026, at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, Sri Lanka. The action kicks off at 3:00 PM local time (15:00 IST), promising a high-stakes clash in a group that’s turned into pure chaos.
This T20 showdown marks the final league game for both sides in Group B, where every run and wicket could decide semi-final hopes. Ireland enters desperate for points after a rollercoaster campaign, while Zimbabwe rides a wave of confidence. Local time is 3:00 PM, aligning with 15:00 IST for Indian fans tuning in.
Pallekele’s pitch typically favors balanced contests, offering early seam movement before settling into a batting paradise under lights, with an average first-innings score around 170. Dew often plays spoiler in evening games, pushing captains toward bowling first. Weather looks clear—sunny intervals with temperatures in the mid-20s Celsius, minimal rain risk, and light winds that won’t disrupt play much.
With Group B a mess—Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe leading, Australia scrambling, and Oman out— this game is do-or-die for Ireland, who sit on two points after a thumping 96-run win over Oman sandwiched between two chases gone wrong. A loss seals their exit. Zimbabwe, unbeaten in two with four points, can top the group with a victory but captain Sikandar Raza warns their Australia scalp “counts for nothing if we slip up.” Momentum tilts Chevrons’ way, but Ireland’s fightback showed grit.
Recent form underscores the stakes: Zimbabwe WWLWL (wins over Oman and Australia), Ireland WLLWW (big losses then a morale-boosting chase led by Lorcan Tucker). Both need this to build knockout momentum in a tournament full of upsets.
ZIM vs IRE Match Details
- Match: Ireland vs Zimbabwe, 3rd Match
- Teams: IRE vs ZIM
- Date: 17 Feb 2026
- Time: 2:30 PM 9:30 AM GMT / 3:00 PM LOCAL
- Venue: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele
T20 World 2026 Live Streaming Info
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 kicks off on February 7, 2026, and wraps up with the final on March 8, 2026. Hosted across India and Sri Lanka with 20 teams, it spans about a month—group stages from early February, Super 8s mid-month, semis late February/early March, and the final in Colombo or Mumbai.
- In India, tune into Star Sports Network (Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2) or stream on Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema.
- Pakistan viewers can watch on PTV Sports, A Sports, or Ten Sports, with streaming available on Tapmad and Tamasha.
- For Sri Lanka, options include SLRC, Channel Eye, and Siyatha TV on TV, plus Sri Lanka Cricket YouTube and Dialog ViU online.
- UK fans have Sky Sports Cricket, TNT Sports 1, and talkSPORT on television, alongside Sky Go, Discovery+, and NOW TV for streaming.
- In South Africa, SuperSport covers it on TV and via their app.
- Australia might check Fox Sports for TV and Kayo Sports for live streams.
- USA and Canada: Willow TV on TV, Sling TV or Willow HD app for streaming.
- New Zealand: Sky Sport NZ on TV and Sky Go app.
- Bangladesh: Gazi TV (GTV) and Rabith BD app.
- Afghanistan: RTA Sport and Ariana TV.
Rest of the world: ICC.tv for free streaming where no local rights holder exists. Subscriptions often apply, and VPNs can assist with geo-blocks where permitted.
How to Watch the Match for Free:
Catch every boundary without paying via these official free options, perfect for fans in Pakistan and beyond.
Pakistan: PTV Sports broadcasts all matches live for free on TV via terrestrial, cable, and satellite—no subscription needed.
Live Streaming Info:
The 32nd T20 World Cup match will be live on Willow Cricket.
Live Score Info:
ICC T20 World Cup 2026: All matches on ESPN and Cricbuzz have live scores.
Head-to-Head
Across 18 T20Is, it’s dead even at 8 wins apiece, no ties, two no-results—classic rivalry with high scores like Ireland’s 178 and Zimbabwe’s 174, lows at 114 and 110. Last five meetings tilt slightly Ireland’s way: three Irish wins, one Zimbabwe, one washout. Recent thrillers include Ireland’s 2023 chase in Harare and Zimbabwe’s batting collapse in Dublin—expect fireworks again.
Ireland Analysis
Ireland’s campaign screamed inconsistency: two hidings while chasing, then Tucker’s 94 off 51 rescued them against Oman. Strengths lie in middle-order firepower (Tucker, Harry Tector) and seam variety (Mark Adair, Josh Little), but top-order fragility hurts—Paul Stirling’s knee injury absence is massive, forcing Tim Tector to open.
Weaknesses? Chasing under pressure; they’ve folded twice. Key players: Tucker (captain/wicketkeeper, engine room), Little (pace spearhead), Delany (allround spin). Recent momentum from the Oman win buys hope, but they must bat deep on a venue suiting aggression.
Probable XI: Tim Tector, Ross Adair, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (c/wk), Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little, Matthew Humphreys.
Zimbabwe Analysis
The Chevrons are humming—bowled out both foes, lost just four wickets in two games. Blessing Muzarabani (7 wickets) leads a lethal pace pack with Brad Evans (two three-fors) and Richard Ngarava; batting’s rock-solid via Brian Bennett’s 48 and 64, Ryan Burl’s stability, Raza’s nous.
Strengths: Composed bowling, top-order solidity—no Brendan Taylor (hamstring), but depth covers it. Weaknesses? Middle-order untested if early wickets fall. Keys: Bennett (opener heartbeat), Muzarabani (tall terror), Raza (captain clutch). Two wins signal peak form.
Probable XI: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk), Ryan Burl, Sikandar Raza (c), Dion Myers, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava.
Key Talking Points
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Ireland’s must-win: Tucker’s heroics vs Zimbabwe’s seam barrage—who blinks in the chase?
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Pallekele dew: Bowl first? Group B’s unpredictability favors bold calls.
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Absences hurt: No Stirling or Taylor tests bench strength.
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Momentum clash: Zimbabwe’s clinical scalps vs Ireland’s desperation.
Zimbabwe’s balance edges it—superior bowling and batting depth on a true pitch tips the scales. Expect 170-180 totals; Chevrons win by 15-20 runs defending. (Word count: 812)