India go down by 34 runs as Ireland claim historic first win
Belfast: Immaculate Ireland bowlers gnawed on Indian batters’ impatience on a rather pacy pitch with exemplary lengths, etching a historic 34-run victory in the first T20I match here on Friday.
It was Ireland’s first-ever victory over reigning T20 world champions India in any format, and the hosts have now taken a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
Chasing 183 on a pitch that had enough assistance for quick bowlers was not improbable but needed a different, pragmatic approach after power play.
But none of them had the patience, as India ended up at 148 all out, despite Abhishek Sharma making a 20-ball 50.
Debutant pacer Jai Moondra (2/26) inflicted the first blow on his country of origin, eliciting an inside on to the stumps from Sanju Samson.
The Irish bowlers continued to pull the length back as Indians perished with alarming regularity.
Ishan Kishan went for a trademark hack to leg-side off Matt Hollard (3/28) and Lorcan Tucker completed a simple catch inside the circle. In his first match as India’s full-time T20 skipper, Shreyas Iyer attempted a flick off Hollard but could not impart force or distance to the pace-off delivery, getting caught in the deep by George Dockrell.
India scored 68 in the power play but had lost three wickets. However, Abhishek played a gem, a 20-ball fifty, as wickets tumbled around him, and punished pacer Liam McCarthy for four boundaries in the third over as India breezed ahead.
But the left-hander found Ben Calitz with surgical precision through a pull off McCarthy, bringing a smile to Ireland players’ faces.
Those smiles only widened once Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube went without making much of an impact.
The final nail was thudded on India’s coffin when Arshdeep Singh fell to Matthew Humphreys, leaving the Irish camp in a joyous huddle.
