T20IWC : Ellis’ Subtle Brilliance Powers Australia to Emphatic Win Over Ireland

 



Nathan Ellis delivered a masterclass in deception and control as Australia opened its T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a commanding 67-run victory over Ireland in a Group B clash at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Chasing a daunting target of 183, Ireland never truly found its footing. By the end of Ellis’ opening spell, the Irish were already in deep trouble at 27 for four, undone by a barrage of clever slower balls and pinpoint cutters. Ellis returned later to mop up the tail, finishing with exceptional figures of four for 12 as Ireland were bundled out for just 115.

Ireland’s innings began in misfortune when captain Paul Stirling pulled up injured while attempting a single off the very first ball and had to retire hurt. Ross Adair (12) briefly offered resistance with a four and a six off Xavier Bartlett, but Australia struck back swiftly. Matthew Kuhnemann removed Harry Tector, and then Ellis took over the demolition.

With a beautifully disguised slower delivery, Ellis bowled Adair before inducing Curtis Campher to loft a simple catch at short midwicket. Benjamin Calitz soon chopped on to another cutter, leaving Ireland shell-shocked at 28 for four and the asking rate spiralling out of reach.

Lorcan Tucker (24)  and George Dockrell (41)  tried to restore some respectability, adding 46 runs with a mix of cautious rotation and occasional boundary-hitting. Tucker was eventually caught in the deep, while Dockrell was stumped off Adam Zampa, who also claimed four wickets in a clinical display of spin bowling.

Ireland’s hopes faded entirely when Stirling was unable to return, and the remaining batters succumbed without much resistance, handing Ireland its second straight defeat of the tournament.

Earlier, Australia too faced early challenges. Stand-in captain Travis Head, leading in the absence of the injured Mitchell Marsh, started brightly but was run out after a mix-up with Josh Inglis. Inglis (37)  responded with aggressive strokeplay, peppering the boundary against Matthew Humphreys, while Cameron Green added impetus with powerful lofted shots before falling.

Ireland’s spinners briefly clawed back control. Dockrell and Tector slowed the scoring, dismissing Inglis and Glenn Maxwell in quick succession. Just when momentum threatened to stall, Matt Renshaw (37) and Marcus Stoinis (45)  steadied the innings with a composed 61-run partnership. Renshaw anchored, while Stoinis provided the muscle, especially square of the wicket.

Though both fell before fully unleashing, Australia finished strongly. Bartlett (11*)  pierced the off-side field, and Cooper Connolly (11*) launched a towering six into the midwicket stands. The late surge of 62 runs in the final six overs lifted Australia to a formidable 182, which proved far beyond Ireland’s reach.

In the end, Ellis’ subtle brilliance with the ball and Australia’s disciplined all-round performance ensured a convincing and clinical start to their World Cup journey.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Christmas Special : Top 20 Churches in India- A brief introduction

Image
  Top 20 Churches in India India’s Christian heritage spans nearly two millennia, reflecting apostolic traditions, colonial influences, and indigenous expressions of faith. These churches stand out for their historical importance, architectural grandeur, spiritual significance, and cultural legacy. 1. Basilica of Bom Jesus – Goa Founded: 1605 Significance: Houses the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier Style: Baroque Legacy: UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most important Christian pilgrimage centres in Asia 2. Se Cathedral – Old Goa Founded: 1562 Significance: One of the largest churches in Asia Style: Portuguese-Gothic Legacy: Symbol of Portuguese ecclesiastical power in India 3. Santhome Basilica – Chennai Founded: 16th century Significance: Built over the tomb of St. Thomas the Apostle Style: Neo-Gothic Legacy: One of only three churches in the world built over an apostle’s tomb 4. Velankanni Basilica – Tamil Nadu Founded: 16th century Significance: Known as the “Lour...
Read more

Desserts: Ssiat Hotteok - How to prepare this Korean pancake

Image
Ssiat Hotteok  is a variation of Hotteok , a popular Korean stuffed pancake. While traditional Hotteok is filled with brown sugar, cinnamon, and peanuts, Ssiat Hotteok is unique to Busan , where it includes a crunchy filling of various seeds (most commonly sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and more) in addition to the sweet syrup. Hot, chewy on the outside and oozing with a nutty, sugary crunch on the inside, Ssiat Hotteok is especially popular in colder months and a must-try for food lovers visiting Korea. Ingredients For the Dough: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup glutinous rice flour (for chewiness) 1 tbsp sugar 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp instant dry yeast 3/4 cup warm water (more as needed) 2 tbsp milk (optional, for richer dough) 1 tbsp vegetable oil (plus more for frying) For the Filling: 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 tsp cinnamon powder 1/4 cup chopped peanuts or walnuts (optional) For the Seed Mix: 1/4 cup sunflower seeds (hulled) 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds ...
Read more

Desserts : Kosar Laddu - How to make this Indian festive sweet item

Image
  Kosar Laddu is a traditional homemade sweet that stands out for its simplicity and rich, rustic flavour. Made with rice flour, jaggery, ghee and aromatic fennel, this laddu is soft, mildly sweet and perfect for festive occasions or as a comforting treat with tea. Ingredients : 1 cup rice flour ½ cup jaggery ½ cup ghee A pinch of salt 1 teaspoon fennel seed powder 1 cup milk Method : First, sift the rice flour thoroughly and transfer it to a mixing bowl. Add the ghee, salt and fennel seed powder, and mix well. Gradually add milk as required and knead to form a smooth dough. Ensure that the dough is neither too soft nor too stiff. Once the dough is ready, grease your palms lightly with ghee. Take small portions of the dough and shape them into round laddus, just as you would make traditional laddus by hand. Your Kosar Laddus are now ready to be served.
Read more