Who will qualify if IRE vs ZIM T20 World Cup 2026 match is washed out in Pallekele?
Ireland and Zimbabwe clash in a must-win ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 encounter at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, with a Super Eight spot at stake alongside Sri Lanka.
Ireland and Zimbabwe face off in a high-stakes T20 World Cup 2026 match at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele on Tuesday, February 17. With the spot in the Super Eight stage on the line, this is a clash between the equals in Pallekele.
However, the start of the match got delayed due to rain as fans waited in anticipation to see the players in action. Both teams are eyeing a spot in the next round as they look to join Sri Lanka from this group.
What is the cut off time for a 5-over contest?
Firstly, for this match to be a full 20-over-per-side clash, it must start before 4:10 PM IST, which is the local time too. Overs will begin to reduce after this. Meanwhile, the cut-off time for this clash is 6:15 PM local time. For a minimum of five-over-per-side clash to take place, the match must begin by 6:15 PM; otherwise, it will be called off.
What will happen if the match is washed out?
If the match is washed out, both teams will get one point each. The Chevrons will be on five points from three matches, while Ireland will be on three from four games. This means Zimbabwe will qualify for the Super Eight, while Australia and Ireland will be knocked out, as they will get out of reach of the Aussies, who can get to a maximum of four points if they win their least league stage game against Oman.
How can Australia qualify for Super Eight?
Australia suffered their second loss in the group stage after going down to Sri Lanka on Monday. They are not officially out of the World Cup but they have a very slim chance to make it through to the next round now.
Australia are currently third in the group with just two points from three matches, with a Net run rate of +0.414. Zimbabwe are second with four points in two matches with an NRR of +1.984, having beaten Oman and Australia. Ireland are fourth with two points from three games with an NRR of +0.150. Oman are officially out.
For Australia to qualify for the Super Eight stage, they will now hope for Zimbabwe to lose their next match to Ireland, which is on February 17. They will then want the Lankan Lions to beat the Chevrons on February 19 and will then have to beat Oman in their last clash on February 20 to stay in contention for a spot in the next round. This will bring the Net run rate into equation and the team with the better NRR will go through.