Watch: Cooper Connolly smashes massive six to Mark Adair in AUS vs IRE T20 WC 2026 clash

Quite late, but finally, Australia kicked off their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign against Ireland at the R. Premadasa Cricket Stadium in Colombo. And it didn’t start on a positive note with their opening batter and the captain, Mitchell Marsh, getting ruled out of the event with a testicular bleeding, as Travis Head was appointed the leader of the side. 

On the second ball of the final over, Cooper Connolly smashed a fine and towering six against Mark Adair. It was a high full-toss, which could have been a no-ball for height. The left-handed batter hammered the ball with the wind as he slogged it deep into the stands at the mid-wicket region for a massive six.

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A ball later, Connolly’s partner in the middle, Xavier Bartlett, picked up the slower delivery from Adair as the right-handed batter reached out on the drive, and it got a thick bottom-edge with the ball bouncing past the keeper’s reach. Australia finished with a massive score of 182 runs for the loss of six wickets in their allotted 20 overs.

Cooper Connolly smashes towering six in AUS vs IRE T20 WC 2026

Their wicket-keeper batter, Josh Inglis, creamed a fine knock of 37 runs in 17 balls with the help of six boundaries and one six at a strike rate of 217.65. Matt Renshaw struggled in the middle for his 37 runs in 33 balls with the help of only two fours at a strike rate of 112.12.

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Marcus Stoinis was excellent in the lower middle order, thanks to his 45 runs in 29 balls at a strike rate of 155.17, thanks to two boundaries and one six. However, Ireland didn’t have a great start as their veteran opener and captain, Paul Stirling, left the field after pulling out a hamstring injury.

Nathan Ellis punched them hard with two wickets in their very first over of the innings, and they found themselves at 27 runs for the loss of four wickets in four overs. Ross Adair got 12 runs in nine balls at a strike rate of 133.33, with one four and one six.

Brief Scores: Australia 182/6 (Marcus Stoinis 45, Josh Inglis 37, Mark Adair 2/44) vs Ireland 51/5 (Ross Adair 12, Nathan Ellis 3/5)