IRE vs IND: 2nd T20I Review – India overcome gutsy Irish in a run-fest
Team India defeated Ireland by four runs in the second and final T20I to clinch the series 2-0. It was a high-scoring thriller at the Malahide Cricket Club as the ball was flying all over the park. Ireland fell agonizingly short of India’s target of 226 runs in a game that went down to the wire. With this triumph, Hardik Pandya lifted his first trophy as the Indian skipper.
Earlier in the game, Pandya decided to bat first after winning the toss on a belter of a pitch. The Irish bowlers were much more disciplined in the opening overs in comparison to the previous encounter and accounted for Ishan Kishan early in the innings. But a watchful Deepak Hooda and a returning Sanju Samson consolidated for the Indian team.
The duo added 176 runs for the second wicket, recording India’s highest-ever partnership in T20Is. Hence, India posted 225/7 in their allotted 20 overs on the board on the back of a century by Hooda and an elegant 77 by Samson. Surya Kumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya also chipped in with handy cameos toward the end.
Ireland raced off the blocks in their reply as veteran Paul Stirling smashed Bhuvneshwar Kumar for 18 runs in the opening over. Stirling scored a belligerent 18-ball 40 to provide Ireland the impetus early in the chase. The Irish batter went from strength to strength from there on and threatened to pull off a miraculous run chase, but it was too big of an ask as, in the end, the hosts fell short by just four runs.
Irish skipper Andrew Balbirnie top-scored for the hosts with an attacking 60 off 37 balls. Meanwhile, Harry Tector, George Dockrell, and Mark Adair contributed with quickfire cameos. Umran Malik came up with the goods for India as he defended 17 runs in the final over on a small ground, a performance that sealed the deal for the Men in Blue.
Top Performers of the match
Deepak Hooda
Deepak Hooda continued his good form from the previous outing and batted like he had a point to prove. The middle-order batter flexed his muscles and flayed the Irish bowlers all around the ground on his way to a maiden T20I century. He thus joined a distinguished list of players as he is only the fourth Indian to reach the milestone in the format after Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, and KL Rahul.
Mark Adair
Mark Adair was the pick of the Irish bowlers in the match and returned with the figures of 3/42 in his four overs. He didn’t give the Indian batters an inch in the opening overs and was on the money from the get-go. Although he was slightly expensive towards the end, the right-arm quick accounted for the big wicket of Sanju Samson, which brought the total down by some margin.
What’s next for both sides?
India will square up against England in the rescheduled fifth Test, which gets underway on July 1 in Birmingham. Meanwhile, Ireland will be in action against New Zealand in a three-match ODI series commencing on the 10th of July.
