2nd T20I: India upstages Ireland by 33 runs to take the series 2-0

DUBLIN: Indian bowlers dominated the second T20I match against Ireland, winning by 33 runs to seal the three-match series by 2-0 in Dublin on Sunday. Bumrah was the pick of the bowler, dismissing two batters, conceding only 15 runs. Prasidh Krishna and Ravi Bishnoi also took two wickets, while Arshdeep Singh finished with one wicket.

Chasing a target of 186, Ireland suffered early blows. Prasidh Krishna continued his previous form and got two breakthroughs in the 3rd over. He dismissed Captain Paul Stirling and Lorcan Tucker on zeros.

Jasprit Bumrah introduced spinner Ravi Bishnoi in the 6th over, and he did not disappoint as he bowled a stunning googly to dismiss Harry Tector at 7. Ireland batters Curtis Campher and Andy Balbirnie then tried to steer the innings and brought Ireland to the 50-run mark in the 8th over.

However, Bishnoi again struck the wicket, dismissing Curtis at 18 in the 10th over. India kept the pressure on Ireland as the Indian bowler’s tight line and length increased the required run rate to almost 14 runs per over. Balbirnie was the only batter from Ireland’s side who showed mettle in front of India’s bowling attack. He reached his fifty in 40 balls in the 13th over. Ireland choked in the pressure of the rising required run rate. George Dockrell went back to the pavilion after being run out.

Balbirnie’s brilliant innings also came to an end when Arshdeep Singh bowled a full-length ball which was caught by Samson behind the stumps. He scored 72 off 51 balls. Bumrah also joined the party by dismissing Barry McCarthy in the 17th over. Mark Adair display his skills with few boundaries, however, He was cleared up by Bumrah in the 19.4 over. India won comfortably by 33 runs.

Ruturaj scored 58 off 43 balls with the supporting knock of Sanju Samson of 40 runs. Rinku and Shivam collected quick runs for India, scoring 38 and 22 respectively. Earlier, Put to bat first, Indian openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad started off well as they utilized the second over, and collected 16 runs in Josh Little’s bowling.

India then lost two wickets in quick succession. Young cleared up Jaiswal at 18 off 11 balls when Curtis Campher caught him in a failed pull shot. In the next over, Curtis Campher got the breakthrough of Tilak Varma who scored just one run. He continued to disappoint with his bat in Ireland.

After the powerplay, India were 47/2 where Gaikwad and Sanju Samson took the responsibility to move the scoreboard. India brought their 50-run mark in 6.4 overs. Gaikwad and Samson added 50 runs partnership in 36 balls for the 3rd wicket. Samson attacked Little’s 11th over to make it big, he collected 18 runs by hitting three fours and one six.

India reached the 100-run mark in 11.1 over, however, Ireland got success in breaking the partnership of Gaikwad and Samson in the 13th over. White bowled a wide delivery which Samson tried to drag but the ball hit the stumps.

Gaikwad brought his fifty in style by hitting the boundary in White’s ball in the 15th over. But Gaikwad did not capitalize as after his half-century, he went back to the pavilion in 15.1 overs. He scored 58 off 43 balls. Rinku Singh utilized the penultimate over by hitting two sixes and one four. India collected 19 runs in the last ball. Following the path of Rinku, Shivam Dube also hit two consecutive sixes before giving the strike to Rinku in the last over. Rinku hit a pull hot for a stunning six but got out in the nest ball at 38. India gave a target of 186/5 in 20 overs to Ireland.

Brief score: India 185/5 (Ruturaj Gaikwad 58, Sanju Samson 40, Barry McCarthy 2-36) vs Ireland 152/8 (Andy Balbirnie 72, Mark Adair 23, Jasprit Bumrah 2-15).