Spinner Maheesh Theekshana led Sri Lanka's attack with 2-19 as they restricted Ireland to 128-8 in their opening Super 12 match at the T20 World Cup on Sunday.

Ireland, who qualified for the Super 12 stage by knocking out two-time champions West Indies, elected to bat on a chilly afternoon in Hobart.

But despite Paul Stirling's 34 and Harry Tector's 45 the Irish batting was disappointing.

Wanindu Hasaranga also took two wickets for Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka, who were stunned by Namibia in their first-round opener but bounced back to advance to the Super 12.

Pace bowler Lahiru Kumara took a wicket with his first ball, bowling Ireland skipper Andrew Balbirnie for one with the batsman paying the price for attempting an audacious ramp shot.

Stirling got a few boundaries to steady the Irish innings but partner Lorcan Tucker played one onto his stumps off Theekshana.

Stirling kept up the charge to get a four and six off Chamika Karunaratne and survived a reprieve on 28 after Kumara dropped a catch in the deep.

But Stirling did not get away from Bhanuka Rajapaksa who took a good running catch at widish long-off to give Dhananjaya de Silva a wicket in his first over, the ninth of the innings.

Tector hit back in a 47-run partnership with George Dockrell, who made 16, in his effort to up the scoring but Sri Lanka kept chipping away from the other end.

Theekshana broke the stand as he bowled Dockrell for 14 and after Binura Fernando denied Tector his fifty the batting caved in.

Hasaranga struck twice in the 19th over with his leg spin as a noisy contingent of Sri Lankan supporters celebrated with drums and music.