The opening assault from opener Pathum Nissanka helped the Sri Lanka cricket team to get off aggressively against the Ireland cricket team in their opening clash of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Having played out a watchful first over, Nissanka wasted little time getting down to business. And how! Up against Irish seamer Mark Adair, the right-hander knelt on one knee and slog-swept a good-length delivery over the head of square leg for a massive six as the crowd went into raptures. It was a clean strike that underlined Sri Lanka's attacking approach in the powerplay.

Sri Lanka ride early aggression to build match-winning foundation

Sri Lanka’s innings had its first hiccup soon after when Kamil Mishara fell to a clever change of pace from Adair, becoming the opening wicket. At the same time, though, the early boundary burst meant the Islanders continued to have the momentum in their favor. A dropped chance over mid-wicket, which really should have pegged them back, proved only a minor blip as the Sri Lankan batters continued to rotate strike smartly and punish loose deliveries.

On the other hand, Nissanka’s bright start helped lay the framework for a good total, which was further enhanced by middle-order batsmen helping the Sri Lankan side cross the 160-run mark. Ireland's bowlers failed to show greater consistency, although Mark Adair and Barry McCarthy picked up some crucial wickets for the Kiwis during the death overs.

Watch the video:

Short and punished. 👏

Pathum Nissanka hits his first maximum of the evening! 😎💪

ICC Men’s #T20WorldCup | #SLvIRE | LIVE NOW 👉 https://t.co/AaKfib9jeV pic.twitter.com/L01HdBEoFI

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 8, 2026

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Match Info – SL vs IRE, T20 World Cup 2026

Match: Sri Lanka vs Ireland, Group Stage
Toss: Ireland won and decided to bowl first
Venue: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Sri Lanka's score: 163/6 in 20 overs

With early fireworks from Nissanka and solid support from the middle order, Sri Lanka immediately pressed the visitors to chase, and now the task for the Irish, though known to perform surprises in ICC events, seems a tough one to overcome for the visitors, as the Lankan bowlers look in top gear.

The towering sixes from Nissanka not only showed his form but also set the tone for what promises to be an entertaining contest in the early days of the T20 World Cup 2026.