Adair: We get called an Associate every other day. I don't think we need to justify ourselves

After a record-breaking performance in Colombo and a winding five-hour bus journey through the Sri Lankan mountains, the Irish national team has arrived in Kandy with a clear objective of building on the momentum of their crushing win over Oman.

The mood at Ireland's first training session was one of measured professionalism. While the "stiffness" of the travel was evident, seamer Mark Adair noted that the team is eager to get to work on what he considers the premier surface in the country.

"The wicket looks pretty good by all accounts," Adair told reporters on Monday. "Kandy's probably the best cricket wicket in Sri Lanka, so I'm looking forward to it."

Ireland enter the fixture against Zimbabwe on the back of a batting performance that perhaps silenced a few critics and most certainly bolstered internal confidence. For Adair, the performance was about more than just points.

"We get called an Associate every other day by someone," Adair remarked. "We always feel like there's a need to justify ourselves. I personally don't think that's the case, but some strong performances against big teams help. The last game showed us that we've got what it takes."

Against Oman, Ireland struck the second-highest score ever at a T20 World Cup, a high-octane showing built on the "brilliant" captaincy of stand-in skipper Lorcan Tucker and the devastating finishing touches of George Dockrell. However, Adair was quick to point out that the onus is now on the bowling unit to "kick on".

"The last game was a bit of a record-breaking one all around for us. It's nice to see a few boys come in and really dominate… it's probably down to the bowlers, if we're honest, to try and kick on now and really try and cement a good win."

A major boost for the Irish attack is the return of Josh Little, who picked up figures of 3 for 16 against Oman. While Ireland boasts a wealth of international experience, Little brings a unique edge - the temperament of a big-game franchise player.

"I love having Josh in the team, I think he brings experience," Adair said, citing Little's appearance in an IPL final. "Those big moments or the clutch moments, it's always nice to have that little bit extra."

The upcoming clash against Zimbabwe promises to be a battle of execution rather than mystery. Both sides are intimately familiar with one another's rosters, with them having faced each other 16 times in T20Is; Ireland have only played Afghanistan more frequently. Adair highlighted Zimbabwe's bowling attack, specifically the threat posed by Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava, as one of the most challenging in the tournament.

"I've played with Blessing and against them for a long time," Adair noted. "They're probably as good of a bowling lineup as you'll find in this comp. We've played a lot against them. We've seen a lot of these guys. There should be no surprises for us."

A loss on Tuesday would guarantee elimination, while a win would keep alive their faint flicker of hope - even if qualification is now out of their hands. But despite the high stakes, the Irish camp maintains a sense of community. The stands have been filled with a vocal contingent of friends and family, many of whom have been "leading the charge" from the team hotels.

"Yeah, I think they enjoy themselves. There's a few parents - they shall remain nameless for now I think - but yeah there's a few parents that led the charge. I'd be lying if I said my parents weren't involved in that as well. But no, yeah, like it's brilliant to see them all and we do have such a close-knit group and I think it's brilliant that all the parents get on so well."

But while the families celebrate, the players are keeping their celebrations "sensible". With the matches packed closely together and the physical toll of travel looming, the team is prioritising recovery over revelry. As Adair put it, no one wants to be nursing a hangover during a five-hour mountain bus ride.