The India National Cricket Team faced the Ireland National Cricket Team at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Stormont, Belfast, Ireland, in the first of a two-match T20I series. This marked the new beginning of the Men in Blue side, under the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer, who did not have the best start to the series as India lost for the first time to Ireland.
Ireland won the match by 34 runs, as Shreyas Iyer won the toss and asked the home side to bat first. This was a new India side since they played in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final against New Zealand. The core remained the same, but they had four changes from the last time they played a T20I match.
Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh gave a good start for India
After being invited to bat first, Irish openers Tim Tector and Ross Adair had a decent start. But Harshit Rana, who made a comeback in the side after a prolonged injury, got the breakthrough in his first over, with Adair being dismissed on the score of 12 runs. He also picked Tim Tector as well for 17 runs.
Arshdeep Singh joined the party as he removed Harry Tector for a three-ball duck. Ireland’s struggles continued as Shivam Dube picked up a wicket on his first ball on his birthday, dismissing Benjamin Calitz for 15 runs. After that, Lorcan Tucker and Gareth Delany stitched a partnership as Tucker brought his fifty in 35 balls.
Harshit Rana came back and broke the partnership as he picked his third wicket and finished off with a spell of 4/24 on his return to the side. As Tucker was out on 50 runs, the partnership of 64 off 44 deliveries was broken. Gareth Delany, whose catch was dropped at 8, was dismissed on 49 runs as Ireland finished 182/9 in 20 overs.
India batters fail to chase as Ireland create history
India, while coming out to chase, came all guns blazing with Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. But the former was dismissed on five runs; however, Abhishek did not stop his carnage, and Ishan Kishan could not fire as he was out for one run. Shreyas Iyer also failed to trouble and was dismissed for three runs.
The Men in Blue were 100/6 at one stage. Shivam Dube and Axar Patel tried to stitch a partnership but failed as the former was out on 25 runs and Axar was back for 15 runs. India were bowled out for the score of 148 runs, marking one of the biggest upsets of T20I history.
Can’t take anything for granted- Shreyas Iyer after India’s horrifying loss
Shreyas Iyer, who did not have the best of starts as a captain, stated that the execution of the team was not up to the mark, and he also stated that not to take any team for granted as in T20 cricket, anything is possible.
«Initially, the bowlers were bowling venom. But in between we lost the execution and let them hit us straight down the ground, where the boundaries are smaller. I thought 140 would have been a good score to chase, given the start we had with the ball. But yeah, great start as a captain (laughs).»
Shreyas Iyer further added, «Definitely, we are going to forget what happened and there’s lot to learn from this game. Going to come out all guns blazing in the next game. [The fast bowlers] were getting help at the start, and Shivam bowls crucial overs so I always trust him. Harshit Rana bowled phenomenally well, coming back from injury.»
«(Message to the team) You can’t take anything for granted. You have to turn up and work hard and stay in the present and if you have the opportunity to squeeze the opponent, you have to do that,» Shreyas Iyer concluded.
