Shreyas Iyer’s side suffers a shocking 34-run defeat in the opening T20I after a clinical all-round performance by Ireland
DUBAI: In one of the biggest upsets in cricket history, Ireland secured their first-ever men’s international victory over India, defeating the visitors by 34 runs in the opening T20I at the Stormont Cricket Ground in Belfast. The historic win gives the hosts a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
Batting first, Ireland posted a highly competitive total of 182 for 9 in their allotted 20 overs. Wicketkeeper-batsman Lorcan Tucker anchored the innings elegantly with a well-made 50 off 36 deliveries. Just as India looked to stall the momentum, Gareth Delany unleashed an aggressive onslaught, smashing a rapid 49 from 32 balls to guide the hosts to a formidable finish. Among the Indian bowlers, Harshit Rana stood out with impressive figures of 3 for 24, while Prasidh Krishna endured a tough day at the office, conceding 57 runs from his four overs.
India’s chase began with explosive intent, courtesy of opener Abhishek Sharma. The dynamic left-hander raised hopes of a successful chase by blistering his way to a half-century off just 20 balls. However, his dismissal triggered a catastrophic batting collapse as the star-studded Indian line-up fell apart under pressure. The disciplined Irish bowling attack tightened their grip ruthlessly.
The bowling unit dismantled the Indian batting spine, with Matthew Hollard claiming 3 for 28 and Matthew Humphreys picking up 3 for 38. India were eventually bundled out for 148 runs in 18.5 overs, handing a major setback to India’s captain Shreyas Iyer.
The second and final T20I match will be played on Sunday, June 28, 2026, at the same venue in Belfast, where India will face an uphill task to avoid a historic and rare bilateral series defeat.
Prior to this historic encounter, Ireland had lost all 11 of their previous international meetings against India across both One Day Internationals (ODIs) and T20 Internationals. This monumental triumph in Belfast breaks a long-standing streak and marks a significant milestone for Irish cricket on the global stage.
