Finance
IND vs IRE 1st T20I : Following continuous rains at Malahide Cricket Club Ground on Friday, India secured a two-run victory (DLS method) over Ireland in the opening T20I of the three-match series, as the game had been called off.
Bumrah, who had been out for 11 months owing to a chronic back injury, won his first match as captain as India took a 1-0 lead in the series.
On his long-awaited return, the great bowler sparkled, picking up two wickets and bowling a magnificent death over. Prasidh Krishna, a debutant, and spinner Ravi Bishnoi both took two wickets.
Following an early wicket loss, Barry McCarthy got his maiden fifty (33-ball 51 not out) and formed a key partnership with Curtis Campher (39 off 33), bringing some stability after the early wobble. With the help of three massive overs, the hosts finished with a respectable total of 139/7 in 20 overs.
India responded well, with the young opening combination Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad taking the powerplay score to 40 for no loss. Craig Young struck twice in the next over to send Jaiswal and Tilak Verma back to the pavilion.
After getting in a bad position, Jaiswal chopped the pull, the ball sailed high up, and Paul Stirling sprinted in from midwicket to do the deed. He made it two in two on the next delivery, replacing Tilak Verma with duck.
Heavy rain caused a delay in the game when India’s score was 47/2. The players had to exit the field with India leading by two runs on the DLS system, as the par score at the end of 6.5 overs stood at 45.
With the covers firmly in place and the rain steadily falling, the two umpires conferred with Bumrah and Paul Stirling before calling the play off.
Earlier, after winning the toss and electing to bowl first, India got off to a flying start, with Bumrah’s double strike in the first over reducing the hosts Ireland to 4/2. The visitors maintained their consistent bowling attack to keep Ireland on the back foot, dismissing their top order during the powerplay.
Prasidh grabbed his second wicket in the form of George Dockrell in the next over, sending half of the Irish team back to the pavilion.
India continued its dominant bowling display, with Bishnoi dismissing Mark Adair in the 11th over, compounding Ireland’s batting difficulties as the hosts were reeling at 59/6 in 11 overs.
Then came Barry McCarthy and Curtis Campher, who put on a 57-run stand for the seventh wicket. This partnership, however, was shattered in the 18th over by Arshdeep Singh.
McCarthy proceeded for some lusty punches in the last over and reached his first fifty in 33 balls, and Ireland posted 139/7 thanks to Arshdeep’s costly 20th over.
Source:IANS
