BELFAST, JUN 26 (IANS): India, reigning T20 World Cup champions, suffered their first-ever defeat to Ireland in T20 internationals, going down by 34 runs in the opening match of the two-match series at Belfast’s Civil Service Cricket Club. The result ended India’s streak of eight consecutive wins against the Irish and marked a disappointing start for new captain Shreyas Iyer.
Ireland, batting first after losing the toss, posted a competitive 182/9. Their innings began shakily at 32/3, with Harshit Rana striking twice and Arshdeep Singh adding another breakthrough. Benjamin Calitz’s brief counterattack was halted by Shivam Dube, but Lorcan Tucker and Gareth Delany steadied the innings with a crucial partnership. Tucker’s composed fifty off 36 balls and Delany’s aggressive 49 off 31 balls lifted Ireland. George Dockrell added quick runs, smashing 19 off Washington Sundar’s over, while Delany and Dockrell punished Prasidh Krishna for 27 runs in the 17th over. Despite late wickets, Ireland finished strongly. Rana was India’s standout bowler with 3/24, while Arshdeep and Axar Patel claimed two wickets each.
Chasing 183, India began brightly through Abhishek Sharma, who struck a rapid 50 off 20 balls with seven fours and two sixes. However, wickets fell regularly. Sanju Samson was bowled by Jai Moondra, Ishan Kishan fell cheaply to Matthew Hollard, and captain Shreyas Iyer managed only three runs. Tilak Varma added 19 before departing, while Washington Sundar and Axar Patel failed to accelerate. Shivam Dube briefly revived hopes with 25 off 16 balls, but his dismissal ended India’s resistance.
Ireland’s bowlers delivered a disciplined performance. Hollard and Humphreys took three wickets each, Moondra claimed two, while McCarthy and Delany chipped in with one apiece. India were bowled out for 148 in 18.5 overs, handing Ireland a famous victory and a 1-0 lead in the series.
This match was historic for Ireland, showcasing their resilience after early setbacks and their ability to outplay a top-ranked side. For India, the defeat highlighted batting frailties under pressure and a tough initiation for their new captain.
Brief scores:
Ireland 182/9 in 20 overs (Locran Tucker 50, Gerath Delany 49, George Dockrell 19; Harshit Rana 3-24, Arshdeep Singh 2-28, Axar Patel 2-33) beat India 148 all out in 18.5 overs (Abhishek Sharma 50, Shivam Dube 25; Matthew Humphreys 3-38, Matthew Hollard 3-28) by 34 runs.
