The Sri Lanka national cricket team vs Ireland cricket team timeline stretches from a one-sided World Cup encounter in 2007 to a tense 20-run finish on home soil at the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Across ten internationals- one Test, five ODIs, and four T20Is- Sri Lanka have won every completed match. Ireland are yet to beat Sri Lanka in any format. This is the complete, verified record of every meeting between these two sides, including exact scores, turning points, statistical leaders, and key records.
Timeline At a Glance
The Sri Lanka vs Ireland cricket rivalry has produced ten internationals spread across five different ICC events and two bilateral tours. Here is every milestone in order:
| Year | Event |
| 2007 | First ever meeting- ICC Cricket World Cup, Grenada |
| 2009 | Closest match- ICC World Twenty20, Lord’s (9-run margin) |
| 2014 | First bilateral ODI series in Ireland |
| 2016 | First and only Test- Sri Lanka win by innings and 10 runs at Galle |
| 2016 | Sri Lanka’s highest total vs Ireland- 377/8 at Dublin (Malahide) |
| 2021 | Biggest T20I margin- 70-run win in Abu Dhabi |
| 2023 | CWC Qualifier, Bulawayo- 133-run ODI victory |
| 2026 | Latest meeting- ICC T20 World Cup, Colombo, 20-run win |
It is not the story of a dominant side coasting through games. Several of these matches were competitive deep into the final stages- most visibly the 2009 T20 at Lord’s, which Ireland came within 9 runs of winning.
Complete Head-to-Head Record
Format-by-Format Summary
Sri Lanka hold a perfect 10-0 record against Ireland across all formats. This includes wins in the only Test, all five ODIs, and all four T20 Internationals played between the two nations.
| Format | Matches | SL Wins | IRE Wins | Draw/NR |
| Tests | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| ODIs | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| T20Is | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
Bilateral Series Record
| Year | Series | Winner | Result |
| 2014 | Sri Lanka tour of Ireland- ODI | Sri Lanka | 1-0 (1 washout) |
| 2016 | Sri Lanka tour of Ireland- ODI | Sri Lanka | 2-0 |
| 2016 | Sri Lanka tour of Ireland- Test | Sri Lanka | 1-0 |
The 2016 bilateral tour was the most comprehensive stretch of the Sri Lanka national cricket team vs Ireland cricket team timeline- three formats played across six weeks, with Sri Lanka winning the ODI series 2-0 and the Test by an innings.
Key Records: Sri Lanka vs Ireland
Team and Individual Milestones
Every record listed here has been verified against official match scorecards. These are the benchmarks that define this head-to-head rivalry.
| Record | Detail | Venue and Year |
| Highest Team Total | Sri Lanka- 377/8 (50 overs) | Dublin (Malahide), Jun 2016 |
| Lowest Team Total | Ireland- 77 all out (27.4 overs) | Grenada, Apr 2007 |
| Highest Individual Score | Kusal Perera- 135 (ODI) | Dublin (Malahide), Jun 2016 |
| Highest Ireland Score (ODI) | Andy McBrine- 79 | Dublin (Malahide), Jun 2016 |
| Highest Ireland Score (T20I) | Harry Tector- 40 | Colombo, Feb 2026 |
| Best Bowling (T20I) | Maheesh Theekshana- 3/23 | Colombo, Feb 2026 |
| Best Bowling (ODI) | Suranga Lakmal- 4/38 | Dublin (Malahide), Jun 2016 |
| Largest Win Margin (T20I) | 70 runs- Sri Lanka | Abu Dhabi, Oct 2021 |
| Largest Win Margin (ODI) | 136 runs- Sri Lanka | Dublin (Malahide), Jun 2016 |
| Narrowest Win Margin | 9 runs- Sri Lanka | Lord’s, Jun 2009 |
Statistical Leaders
| Category | Player | Team | Detail |
| Most Runs (T20I) | Kusal Mendis | Sri Lanka | 56* (2026), key scorer in 2022- PoM in both matches |
| Best Bowling (T20I) | Maheesh Theekshana | Sri Lanka | 3/23 in 4 overs, Colombo 2026 |
| Best Bowling (ODI) | Suranga Lakmal | Sri Lanka | 4/38, Dublin 2016 |
| Best Bowling (T20I- Combined) | Hasaranga + Theekshana | Sri Lanka | 6 wickets combined, T20 WC 2026 |
| Highest ODI Score | Kusal Perera | Sri Lanka | 135, Dublin 2016 |
| Best Ireland Batting | Andy McBrine | Ireland | 79 (ODI), Dublin 2016 |
Kusal Mendis is Ireland’s single biggest T20I problem in this fixture– winning Player of the Match in both the 2022 T20 World Cup (Hobart) and the 2026 T20 World Cup (Colombo).
Complete Match-by-Match Results
All Ten Internationals- Exact Scores and Margins
This table covers the full Sri Lanka national cricket team vs Ireland cricket team timeline– every official match played between the two sides from 2007 to 2026.
| Date | Tournament | Venue | SL Score | IRE Score | Winner | Margin |
| 18 Apr 2007 | ICC World Cup- Super Eights | Grenada | 81/2 | 77 (27.4 ov) | Sri Lanka | 8 wickets |
| 14 Jun 2009 | ICC World Twenty20 | Lord’s | 144/9 (20 ov) | 135/7 (20 ov) | Sri Lanka | 9 runs |
| 06 May 2014 | ODI- Bilateral | Dublin | 219/8 (50 ov) | 140 (39.5 ov) | Sri Lanka | 79 runs |
| 16 Jun 2016 | ODI- Bilateral | Dublin (Malahide) | 303/7 (50 ov) | 216 (40.4 ov) | Sri Lanka | 76 runs (D/L) |
| 18 Jun 2016 | ODI- Bilateral | Dublin (Malahide) | 377/8 (50 ov) | 241 (45 ov) | Sri Lanka | 136 runs |
| Aug 2016 | Test- Bilateral | Galle | — | — | Sri Lanka | Inns & 10 runs |
| 20 Oct 2021 | ICC T20 World Cup | Abu Dhabi | 171/7 (20 ov) | 101 (18.3 ov) | Sri Lanka | 70 runs |
| 23 Oct 2022 | ICC T20 World Cup | Hobart | 133/1 (15 ov) | 128/8 (20 ov) | Sri Lanka | 9 wickets |
| 25 Jun 2023 | CWC Qualifier | Bulawayo | 325 (49.5 ov) | 192 (31 ov) | Sri Lanka | 133 runs |
| 08 Feb 2026 | ICC T20 World Cup | Colombo (RPS) | 163/6 (20 ov) | 143 (19.5 ov) | Sri Lanka | 20 runs |
Match-by-Match Breakdown: Turning Points and Tactical Analysis
2007 ICC World Cup- Grenada (First Meeting)
Ireland arrived at the 2007 Super Eights having already beaten Pakistan– one of the most iconic upsets in ODI history. The momentum, the confidence, and the global spotlight were on them. Then they met Sri Lanka. Ireland were bowled out for 77 in 27.4 overs. Sri Lanka knocked off the target with 8 wickets and 240 balls to spare. Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas exploited a slow, turning surface with ruthless precision. The Sri Lanka national cricket team vs Ireland cricket team timeline had begun- and it had begun with Ireland’s lowest-ever total against Sri Lanka. Beating a Pakistan side in tournament cricket and facing a peak Sri Lanka bowling attack are two entirely different challenges. Ireland had no established method against world-class spin at international pace.
2009 ICC World Twenty20- Lord’s (Closest Match)
This was the closest the two sides have ever played. Sri Lanka posted a modest 144/9 in 20 overs. Ireland chased hard and finished on 135/7- losing by just 9 runs. Mahela Jayawardene anchored Sri Lanka’s innings with a composed knock and won Player of the Match. The decisive phase was overs 17-20- Sri Lanka’s lower order squeezed approximately 20 additional runs in that window. Ireland, needing 30 off the last 18 balls, fell just short. Nine runs at Lord’s. That is how close Ireland came to their first-ever win against Sri Lanka in international cricket.
2014 Bilateral ODI- Dublin (First Ireland Home Series)
Sri Lanka visited Ireland for the first bilateral ODI series in what would become a significant fixture in the Sri Lanka national cricket team vs Ireland cricket team timeline. Sri Lanka won by 79 runs, posting 219/8 and bowling Ireland out for 140.
A slow Dublin surface, quality seam bowling from Sri Lanka, and Ireland’s inability to accelerate in the middle overs produced a comfortable win for the visitors. The second match was washed out- making the final series result 1-0 to Sri Lanka.
2016 Bilateral Tour- Dublin (Highest Total and First Test)
ODI Series
Sri Lanka won the two-match ODI series 2-0. The first ODI ended in a 76-run D/L win after Sri Lanka posted 303/7. The second ODI produced the most dominant batting display in this entire head-to-head. Kusal Perera scored 135 and Seekkuge Prasanna added 95, taking Sri Lanka to 377/8– still the highest total in any Sri Lanka vs Ireland match across all formats. Ireland replied with 241– their highest ODI score against Sri Lanka- with Andy McBrine scoring 79 and Suranga Lakmal taking 4/38. The margin was 136 runs.
The Only Test- Galle, 2016
The first and only Test between these sides was played at Galle International Stadium– one of the most spin-friendly venues in world cricket. Sri Lanka won by an innings and 10 runs. This result stands as the sole Test outcome between the two nations. This match was played before Ireland received Full ICC Member status in 2017. Playing a Test at Galle, against a Sri Lanka spin attack on home soil, was as difficult a debut Test assignment as any team could face.
2021 ICC T20 World Cup- Abu Dhabi (Biggest T20 Margin)
Sri Lanka’s most dominant T20I win over Ireland came in Abu Dhabi. They posted 171/7 and bowled Ireland out for just 101 in 18.3 overs– winning by 70 runs. Wanindu Hasaranga won Player of the Match. His leg-spin produced wickets in clusters on the Abu Dhabi surface at a moment when Ireland’s scoring had already been strangled in the middle overs. Once the top order fell, the required rate became unmanageable and Ireland collapsed. The 70-run win remains the largest victory margin in the Sri Lanka national cricket team vs Ireland cricket team T20I record.
2022 ICC T20 World Cup- Hobart (Nine-Wicket Win)
Ireland posted 128/8 on a Hobart surface that historically favored batting in T20 cricket- a below-par total that reflected a middle-overs collapse. Sri Lanka chased it down with 9 wickets in 15 overs. Kusal Mendis won Player of the Match for the first time against Ireland- beginning a pattern that would repeat in 2026. Ireland’s inability to post 150-plus on a flat track was the decisive factor.
2023 CWC Qualifier- Bulawayo (133-Run Demolition)
Both sides needed strong results for 2023 ODI World Cup qualification. Sri Lanka posted 325 with Dimuth Karunaratne winning Player of the Match. Ireland were bowled out for 192 in 31 overs– losing by 133 runs. This result pushed Ireland’s direct qualification path into uncertainty. More importantly, it confirmed that Sri Lanka’s ODI dominance over Ireland holds on neutral venues– not just in the subcontinent or in Dublin, but in African conditions as well.
2026 ICC T20 World Cup- Colombo (Narrowest Win, Clearest Execution Gap)
The most recent chapter in the Sri Lanka national cricket team vs Ireland cricket team timeline was played under lights at R. Premadasa Stadium on February 8, 2026- with Sri Lanka as co-hosts and Ireland opening their Group B campaign. Ireland won the toss and elected to field. Sri Lanka posted 163/6, anchored by Kusal Mendis- unbeaten on 56 off 43 balls. What made this innings significant was the fielding: Ireland dropped seven catches during Sri Lanka’s innings.Kusal Mendis was among the players reprieved. Sri Lanka scored an estimated 20-25 additional runs through those fielding errors. Ireland’s chase started well. Ross Adair scored 34 and Harry Tector contributed 40– Ireland’s highest individual T20I score against Sri Lanka- and the score reached 105/2 in the 15th over, needing 59 from 30 balls. Then Maheesh Theekshana took 3/23 and Wanindu Hasaranga took 3/25– six wickets between them in the final five overs. Ireland were bowled out for 143 in 19.5 overs, falling 20 runs short. Since Sri Lanka won by exactly 20 runs, and Ireland conceded 20-25 extra runs through dropped catches, the correlation between Ireland’s fielding errors and the final margin is direct and measurable. This was not a talent gap. It was an execution gap- in the field.
What Has Defined Every Sri Lanka Win Against Ireland
The Spin Bowling Pattern
Every Sri Lanka victory in this timeline has featured spin bowling as the primary match-winning weapon:
- Muralitharan and Vaas– 2007 World Cup, Grenada
- Jayawardene-era spinners– 2009 World Twenty20, Lord’s
- Hasaranga (PoM)– 2021 T20 World Cup, Abu Dhabi (70-run win)
- Theekshana 3/23 + Hasaranga 3/25– 2026 T20 World Cup, Colombo
This is not coincidence- it is a structural pattern across 19 years of this head-to-head fixture.
The Death-Overs Batting Gap
In all four T20Is, Ireland have fallen short because of death-overs batting execution. Sri Lanka’s finishers- Perera, Mendis, and lower-order hitters- have consistently scored 15-20 more runs in overs 17-20 than Ireland manage in equivalent situations. Over four T20Is, that gap has been decisive every time.
Ireland’s Fielding Under Tournament Pressure
Seven confirmed dropped catches in Colombo in 2026 were not an aberration- they were a concentration issue that showed up at the worst possible moment. Ireland’s top-order batting has improved significantly since 2007. Their fielding under tournament-stage pressure remains the most costly execution gap in this fixture.
Why Sri Lanka and Ireland Meet So Rarely
The Sri Lanka vs Ireland bilateral schedule remains sparse for two structural reasons:
- Ireland only became a Full ICC Member in June 2017, giving them guaranteed bilateral series rights against all Test nations. Before 2017, meetings depended entirely on ICC tournament draws.
- Geographic and scheduling distance between the two boards means Sri Lanka tours to Dublin compete with higher-priority series against England, Pakistan, and India for calendar slots.
Five of the ten meetings between these sides have come at ICC tournaments- not bilateral series. This is why the head-to-head has accumulated slowly over 19 years despite both nations being active ICC members.
Related Cricket Timelines
Looking beyond the Sri Lanka national cricket team vs Ireland cricket team timeline, these related head-to-head records provide valuable context for understanding where Ireland and Sri Lanka sit in the broader global cricket picture:
- Ireland vs Pakistan– includes the iconic 2007 World Cup upset
- Sri Lanka vs Scotland– ICC event record and emerging nations rivalry
- Ireland vs Afghanistan– T20I rivalry across multiple World Cups
- Sri Lanka vs Netherlands– ICC tournament head-to-head history
FAQs:
Q1. What is the Sri Lanka vs Ireland cricket head-to-head record?
A1. Sri Lanka lead the all-format head-to-head 10-0. This includes 1 Test (win by innings and 10 runs), 5 ODIs (all won by Sri Lanka), and 4 T20Is (all won by Sri Lanka). Ireland have not beaten Sri Lanka in any format.
Q2. When did Sri Lanka and Ireland first play cricket?
A2. The first match in the Sri Lanka national cricket team vs Ireland cricket team timeline was played on April 18, 2007, at the ICC Cricket World Cup Super Eights in Grenada. Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets, bowling Ireland out for 77.
Q3. Has Ireland ever beaten Sri Lanka in international cricket?
A3. No. As of June 2026, Ireland have not won a single match against Sri Lanka across Tests, ODIs, or T20Is.
Q4. What is the result of the only Test between Sri Lanka and Ireland?
A4. Sri Lanka beat Ireland by an innings and 10 runs at Galle International Stadium in 2016. It remains the only Test match played between the two sides.
Q5. What happened in the Sri Lanka vs Ireland 2026 T20 World Cup match?
A5. Sri Lanka posted 163/6 at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, on February 8, 2026. Kusal Mendis scored 56 not out. Maheesh Theekshana (3/23) and Wanindu Hasaranga (3/25) bowled Ireland out for 143. Sri Lanka won by 20 runs. Ireland dropped seven catches during Sri Lanka’s innings.
Q6. Who is the highest scorer in Sri Lanka vs Ireland ODIs?
A6. Kusal Perera holds the record with 135, scored in Dublin (Malahide) on June 18, 2016- part of Sri Lanka’s highest-ever total against Ireland of 377/8 in the same match.
Q7. What is Ireland’s highest score against Sri Lanka?
A7. In ODIs, Ireland’s highest total against Sri Lanka is 241 all out (45 overs) at Dublin (Malahide) on June 18, 2016, with Andy McBrine scoring 79. In T20Is, their highest is 135/7- scored at Lord’s in the 2009 ICC World Twenty20.
Q8. Who has won the most Player of the Match awards in Sri Lanka vs Ireland matches?
A8. Kusal Mendis has won Player of the Match in two consecutive T20I meetings- at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Hobart and the 2026 T20 World Cup in Colombo. Wanindu Hasaranga won the award at the 2021 T20 World Cup in Abu Dhabi.
Q9. What is the biggest winning margin in Sri Lanka vs Ireland cricket?
A9. In ODIs, Sri Lanka’s largest margin against Ireland is 136 runs- at Dublin (Malahide) in June 2016. In T20Is, the largest margin is 70 runs- at Abu Dhabi during the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup.
Q10. How many times have Sri Lanka and Ireland played in ICC World Cups?
A10. Sri Lanka and Ireland have met in four ICC World Cup tournaments- the 2007 Cricket World Cup (ODI), the 2009 ICC World Twenty20, the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup, the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup, and the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Sri Lanka have won all five tournament meetings.