The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 continues its intense Group B action today, February 14, 2026, as Ireland take on Oman in the 22nd match of the tournament. Set against the historic backdrop of the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo, this encounter has effectively become a survival battle. Both sides have struggled to find their footing in Sri Lankan conditions, entering this fixture without a single win after two matches each. For the Irish, however, the challenge is compounded by a monumental absence at the top of the order.
The pre-match buzz in Colombo was dominated by one major headline: the absence of Ireland’s talismanic leader, Paul Stirling. As the teams walked out for the toss, it was confirmed that the veteran opener would not only miss today’s game but has been ruled out for the remainder of the World Cup.
Why Paul Stirling is not playing today’s match?
The primary reason Stirling is not playing today is a significant knee ligament injury sustained during Ireland’s previous outing against Australia. The injury occurred when Stirling made a brilliant diving effort to dismiss Josh Inglis; while he completed the catch, he landed awkwardly on the hard Colombo turf, causing immediate damage to his right knee.
In a display of grit, Stirling attempted to bat during the 183-run chase, but the severity of the injury became apparent almost immediately. After facing just one delivery, his knee buckled while attempting a quick single, forcing him to retire hurt and leave the field in visible distress. Subsequent medical scans confirmed ligament damage that requires immediate rest and rehabilitation.
Lorcan Tucker, who has stepped up as the stand-in captain, expressed the team’s sentiment at the toss, noting it as a “massive shame” to lose such a “big figure” in the squad.
“Yeah, I think in these situations, you really have to think positively. We see this as a good opportunity to get our club in and really get some momentum in the last game against Zimbabwe. (Talks about Paul Stirling) Obviously a massive shame and such a big figure in our team, but I think it’s just something that’s happened. It’s unfortunate,” Tucker stated.
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Playing XI of both the teams
Oman: Aamir Kaleem, Jatinder Singh (c), Hammad Mirza, Ashish Odedara, Mohammad Nadeem, Jiten Ramanandi, Vinayak Shukla (wk), Nadeem Khan, Sufyan Mehmood, Shah Faisal, Shakeel Ahmed
Ireland: Ross Adair, Tim Tector, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk/c), Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Matthew Humphreys, Joshua Little
