Ireland defeat India again, seal first T20I series win over world champions | Cricket News
Ireland scripted one of the biggest victories in their cricket history on Sunday, overcoming T20 World Cup champions India by a run in the second T20I to complete a sensational 2-0 series sweep at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Stormont.The triumph marked Ireland’s first bilateral series win over India and ended the visitors’ remarkable run of 16 successive T20I series victories, a streak that had stretched until 2023. Despite being without five regular first-choice players, Lorcan Tucker’s side produced two disciplined performances to overcome the two Asian fixtures. India’s chase of 155 was held together by Tilak Varma, whose fifty kept the contest alive till the closing stages. However, Jai Moondra’s opening spell, followed by some composed dead bowling from the Irish attack, proved decisive as the hosts successfully defended a modest total.Ireland’s bowling unit once again stood out throughout the series, with Moondra and Matthew Hollard claiming three wickets for the second game. For India, the defeat exposed familiar issues, particularly their struggles against left-arm pace and adapting to conditions away from the IPL.The hunt broke out almost immediately. Moondra struck out twice in his opener to get both out Saint Samson and Abhishek Sharma for first ball ducks. Samson, was trapped lbw after missing a flick to a skiddy delivery. Two balls later, Abhishek mistimed a short ball and was caught at third man.India’s problems deepened when the captain Shreyas Iyer he cut a turn on his stumps off Moondra after scoring 10. Ishan Kishan tried to rebuild with Tilak Varma, but confusion between the wickets resulted in a run-out for 12. With the scoreboard reading 39 for 4 in the Powerplay, India had lost four wickets in the first six overs for only the 13th time in T20I history.Varma responded with composure, finding successive boundaries off Moondra through the leg side before sharing a 32-run partnership with Axar Patel to stabilize the innings. A brief rain interruption disrupted play but the pair ensured India remained in the contest despite the required rate continuing to climb.Ireland struck again after the restart when Matthew Hollard dismissed Axar Patel. Attempting to drive the ball, Axar instead found Lorcan Tucker, who completed a brilliant one-handed dive to his left behind the stumps.Shivam Dube briefly injected momentum with a couple of boundaries before slipping to deep square leg of Matthew Humphreys. Varma, meanwhile, continued to anchor the innings and reached his half-century in 45 balls by bowling the first six of India’s innings, sending Hollard over deep mid-wicket.His stay, however, ended soon after. Looking to clear the infield again, Varma mistimed a lofted drive to extra cover, while debutant Suryansh Shedge soon followed after failing to clear the biggest boundary and being caught at deep mid-wicket.Harshit Rana then launched a late counter-attack to keep India’s hopes alive. He drove Moondra through point for four before clearing long on with a six to drag the equation up to 20 needed from the over. Rana added another boundary from a free kick after the ball evaded the wicketkeeper, while Harry Tector conceded two wides to raise India’s hopes.However, Tector held his nerve when it mattered most, prompting Rana to slip at length. Prince Yadav hit a six off the final delivery, but India eventually finished on 153 for 9, falling agonizingly short by just one run.Earlier, Ireland recovered from a shaky start to post 154 for 8 after being asked to bat first. Harry Tector anchored the innings with 53, while Ben Calitz contributed a valuable 37. Debutant Prince Yadav impressed with figures of 3 for 22, and Shivam Dube chipped in with 2 for 25.Brief scores: Ireland 154/8 in 20 overs (Harry Tector 53, Ben Calitz 37; Prince Yadav 3-22, Shivam Dube 2-25) beat India 153/9 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma 55, Harshit Rana 21; Matthew Hollard 26, 32-32-run)
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