India beats Ireland by 8 wickets in the opening encounter of the ICC T20 world cup.
India beats Ireland by 8 wickets in the opening encounter of the ICC T20 world cup.
New York June 5:
India beat Ireland by 8 wickets to start their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign with a win. Indian bowlers put in a combined effort to bowl out Ireland for a paltry total of 96.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to field first. Hardik Pandya (3 for 27) was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets to his name while Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah picked two wickets each. Meanwhile, Mohammed Siraj and Axar Patel also got a wicket apiece.
In the chase, Rohit’s 52 off 37 kept India in the driving seat and India eventually reached home in 12.2 overs.
The Ireland batters were looking clueless on a sharp India bowling attack. By the end of the powerplay, Ireland were still only two down, but Harry Tector had already been hit on the glove and the thigh pad and was batting on 1 off 10. That became 4 of 15 before a nasty short ball from Bumrah hurried him, and he ended up gloving the attempted pull into his helmet and then to the fielder at short extra cover. None of the Ireland batsmen showed resistance throughout the inning.
Rohit and Virat Kohli came out swinging – perhaps they reckoned that the new ball and powerplay field restrictions gave them the best chance of quick runs – and came away with contrasting outcomes.
Kohli fell early, caught on the deep-third boundary while charging at Mark Adair and looking to slap him over the covers. Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant finished the game. Pant scored 36 runs off 26 balls and played till the end.
EOM.
