Ireland and former NSW seamer Trent Johnston reckons Ireland have a mirror image of Australia’s top-order powerhouse David Warner in 22-year-old opener Paul Stirling.

“Stirling’s probably the right-handed Warner,” Johnston said ahead of Ireland’s opening World Twenty20 Group B game with Australia on Wednesday in Colombo.

The clash between 10th-ranked Ireland and ninth-ranked Australia will be of interest for many reasons, including Ireland’s chance to further their reputation as giantkillers.

They also have an opportunity to show how much they’ve learnt from new bowling coach Craig McDermott, who quit a similar role with Australia earlier this year.

Ireland’s 20-year-old spinner George Dockrell was crowned on Saturday night as the ICC’s Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year.

But Johnston said Stirling is also a huge talent.

“Paul Stirling is one of the most clean strikers of the ball in international cricket,” Johnston told AAP.

“He’s got a great defence and he’s got all the shots.

“He’s very laid-back and he just likes to hit fours and sixes, which saves on running.

“He doesn’t like the limelight. He just likes hitting a cricket ball.”

Stirling has a highest score of 79 and has made three half-centuries in 17 T20 Internationals with a strike-rate of 123.

“We’ve got players who can come in and strike it pretty clean so I don’t think there’s any reason why we should play any other way,” Stirling said of Ireland’s aggressive style.

Ex-Ireland captain Johnston said Dockrell and Stirling have the chance to put themselves in the shop window in the World T20 and attract interest from the Indian Premier League teams and other lucrative domestic leagues.

Johnston, at 38, is nearing the end of what he calls a great ride.

The chicken dance which he first produced on the dance floor as a lad in Wollongong, then perfected during the 2007 World Cup in which he led Ireland to a boilover win over Pakistan, is on ice – ready for another run against Australia on Wednesday.

The six-game NSW paceman’s T20 International record of 29 wickets at 19.13 in 26 matches is a formidable one.

Johnston said McDermott has done his best to teach an old dog new tricks.

“I could have done with him 10 years ago,” Johnston said.

“It’s great to be able to work with someone like that.”

The two teams haven’t met in a T20 game.