Highlights, India vs Ireland, 2nd T20I at Dublin, Full cricket score: Visitors win by 143 runs; seal series 2-0

Virat Kohli, India captain: Just the kind of momentum we wanted going into England series. Pretty happy to see such performance. I am having headache now whom to pick. Anyone who has been given chance has grabbed the chance with both hands. Guys are shining through coming off the bench as well. For us, opposition does not matter. Spinners are added advantage in England. It is going to be a good series. England are a quality side but we are going to focus more on our strength. System has been laid and benchmark has been set. We have mutual respect. Nobody takes anything for granted. The responsbility has been accepted by everyone.

Gary Wilson, Ireland captain: Disappointing to see we did not put up a fight. We know India like to chase. Wicket should not have made any difference if we had batted first. It is just disappointing.

Chahal: The wicket was a turning. I varied my pace and it came good. I was mixing the pace. I bowled quicker first and then tossed up. In our team, we have world class batsmen and you try and bowl them in the nets to know which deliveries work for you.

Yuzvendra Chahal is Man of the Series!

KL Rahul is Man of the Match

Rahul: It was important for me to make most of the opportunities. Coming into the series, had good amount of runs scored in IPL. If you played a couple of balls, you could get adjusted to the wicket. I used the pace of the ball well. I am in good form and tried to strike the ball well. The kind of team we have it is tough to find a position but whatever chance you get, you want to make most of it. I have never played in UK before and I know it is going to be challenging but I want to go out there and enjoy.

Largest victories in T20Is:

172 by SL v Kenya, Johannesburg, 2007
143 by India v Ireland, Dublin, 2018*
143 by Pak v WI, Karachi, 2018
130 by SA v Scotland, The Oval, 2009

Bit of an embarrassment really for Ireland, they have been bowled out for 70 runs in 12.3 overs. You would expect them to make a stride forward in the second game, but this was two steps back. Never stood a chance after that poor start, especially against wrist spin. 

India, meanwhile, were relentless in their pursuit and have made a mark in what can only be deemed as preparation for sterner tests ahead. That begins next week, Tuesday to be more precise, when two of the best limited-overs’ outfits clash in T20I and ODIs. Can’t wait already!

OUT! That’s it! India win by 143 runs! They win the series 2-0

It’s the Wrong’ún from Kuldeep, outside off, Rankin charges down the track and goes for a wild swing. He is foxed by the one that goes the other way and misses. Karthik clips the bails off calmly.

After 12 overs**,Ireland** 68/9 ( Boyd Rankin 8 , Peter Chase 0)

Another brilliant over from Chahal. And India are now on the brink of another massive win. Ireland have lost nine wickets. Chahal is not afraid to flight them and got Thompson with another flighted one. 3 runs and a wicket off it.

Peter Chase is the last man in.

OUT! Sound of the timber. Chahal gets his third.

Nicely flighted on off, Thompson charges down the track and look to hit over the off side but is done in by the flight. He misses, the ball spins back in sharply and rattles the timber.

After 11 overs,Ireland 65/8 ( Stuart Thompson 12 , Boyd Rankin 7)

A decent over from Kuldeep. He sent back Dockrell off the first ball and then gave away just three singles off the next four balls. Rankin then opened his shoulders and hit a six off the final ball to spoil a very good over. 9 runs and a wicket off it.

SIX! WOW! He connected it well. Rankin lofts a flighted delivery from Kuldeep over long off.

OUT! The eight wicket falls. Kuldeep gets his second.

It’s flighted on middle and off, Dockrell looks to go downtown but doesn’t connect it well and helps it straight into the hands of the long on fielder.

After 10 overs**,Ireland** 56/7 ( Stuart Thompson 10 , George Dockrell 4)

Finally, a good over for Ireland. Dockrell gets a top edge to third man for three. Thompson then got two fours to make it 11 runs off the over. And most importantly, no wicket off it.

FOUR! 2nd in the over. Streaky this time. Thompson goes for a slog sweep but gets a top edge to fine leg.

FOUR! Thompson gets down and paddles it to fine leg off Chahal.

Shambolic. This is a right royal mess…. Ireland have just given up. They know they cannot comprehend spin and the resultant is this… at best they needed a good start but that hasn’t come, so the batting has simply crashed. If there was a huge gulf in the first game, this is a chasm.

After 9 overs**,Ireland** 45/7 ( Stuart Thompson 2 , George Dockrell 1)

Kuldeep was welcomed with a boundary off the first ball by Wilson but he bounced back to send Wilson to pavilion. Just 5 runs and a wicket off the over. Ireland in disarray and they are going nowhere.

OUT! Kuldeep joins the party. Nicely tossed up on middle, spins back in sharply. Wilson gives himself room and ends up playing a nothing shot. Finds the stumps shattered.

FOUR! Something to smile for the Irish fans. Wilson reverse sweeps Kuldeep’s first ball of the spell for four to third man.

After 8 overs**,Ireland** 40/6 ( Gary Wilson (C) (W) 11 , Stuart Thompson 2)

Another successful over for India. Chahal might have had Singh back in the pavilion off the first ball of the over but the umpire turned down the caught behind appeal. Replays showed that he indeed got an outside edge. He didn’t take long to send him back as he trapped Singh LBW off the next ball itself. 4 runs and a wicket off it.

And just I typed that… Simi Singh is lbw… he really hasn’t lived up to the hype that was built around him in the lead-up to this match. Not to pull him down, but shows why he couldn’t make the cut in India. 36/6 now and Ireland are sinking without a trace.

OUT! Chahal gets his 2nd. Ireland in big, big trouble. Simi Singh departs.

It’s a length delivery on off, Singh gets down for a sweep but misses and is hit right in front. The umpire raises his finger on the appeal.

After 7 overs,Ireland 36/5 ( Gary Wilson (C) (W) 9 , Simi Singh 0)

Another over, another wicket. Ireland haven’t got their shot selection right and paying the price of it. O’Brien plays a bad shot and heads back to the pavilion. The over saw a four but that was because of a schoolboy error from Kuldeep at third man fence. 6 runs and a wicket off the over. Ireland need a special partnership now.

Each of the five bowlers who are playing for India today has taken 20-plus wickets in T20 cricket in 2018.

OUT! Kevin O’Brien departs for a duck. Ireland are in deep deep trouble. 

It’s short outside off from Pandya, O’Brien stays in his crease and looks to pul but gets a top edge to third man where Kuldeep Yadav takes a very good catch.

After 6 overs**,Ireland** 30/4 ( Andy Balbirnie 9**,** Gary Wilson (C) (W) 4)

Ireland are going nowhere. They are stuck and losing wickets at regular intervals. Chahal joins the party as he sends back Balbirine in that over. He flighted then well and mixed the googly and leg spinners well. Three runs and a wicket off it.

OUT! Beauty from Chahal. Strikes in his first over. 

Flighted on off, Balbirnie leans forward to defend but it spins away and shatters the timber. Perfect leg spinner.

On Wednesday, Ireland had played pace relatively well. Three down today as Chahal comes into the attack. This could be over quickly.

Yuzvendra Chahal into the attack now.

After 5 overs**,Ireland** 27/3 ( Andy Balbirnie 8 , Gary Wilson (C) (W) 2)

Decent start from Pandya. He beat Wilson with one that moved away off the second ball of the over. Balbernie had his heart in his mouth off the penultimate ball when he nearly ended up chipping one to mid off. The track is on a slower side and the odd ball seems to be stopping on the batsmen. The spinners haven’t even come into the attack and Ireland are already three down. 4 runs off the over.

Hardik Pandya into the attack now.

After 4 overs**,Ireland** 23/3 ( Andy Balbirnie 6 , Gary Wilson (C) (W) 0)

A brilliant over from Kaul. He can surprise with his pace and that’s what he did for the Shannon wicket. His length variations are the ones that surprise hte batsmen. One run and a wicket off the over.

OUT! Kaul gets his maiden international wicket. He was very close to not getting it though. A bouncer on middle and leg, Shannon looks to pull but is done in by the pace. He ends up miscuing it to extra cover where the fielder takes an easy catch. The umpires check for a No ball and replays show it was very tight. It looked as if he didn’t have anything behind the line but the third umpire was happy with it.

After 3 overs,Ireland 22/2 ( James Shannon 2 , Andy Balbirnie 6)

A mixed over for Ireland. Porterfield started with a four to fine leg, a couple and then a massive six. Umesh then had his revenge as he had Porterfield’s middle stump knocked back. Balbirnie then finished with a lovely four to make it 18 runs and a wicket off the over.

FOUR! Lovely shot from Balbirnie. It’s full outside off, Shannon leans and drives it through extra cover.

A break for Umesh Yadav in his first over in T20Is since 2012… Stirling chases a wide delivery and out caught… India have to focus on putting a great fielding performance… anything better than Wednesday should be good, so it is not a tall ask.

OUT! Umesh has his revenge. Porterfield’s stumps are shattered.

Porterfiled moves way across for a ramp sweep, Umesh sees it early and bowls it very full on middle. Porterfield is beaten by the pace and misses his scoop. The ball rattles the timber.

SIX! HUGE! MASSIVE! What connection. Slower ball from Umesh, Porterfield gets down and clobbers it over deep mid-wicket.

FOUR! Poor delivery. Short and down the leg side, Porterfield pulls it to fine leg.

After 2 overs**, Ireland 4****/1 ( Shannon 2** , Porterfield 2)

A good start from the debutant. He too got a hint of movement. Porterfield looks to hit one out of the park off the first ball but got a toe end of the bat to mid off. Kaul was disciplined throughout the over. Shannon flicked one to deep mid-wicket for a couple to end the over, Just three runs off it.

Umesh Yadav took 20 wickets at a strike rate of 15.95 in IPL-11 which was the third most by any player.

Debutant Siddharth Kaul will share the new ball.

After 1 overs,Ireland 1/1 ( James Shannon 0 , William Porterfield 1)

A very good start from Umesh. He got a hint of movement and hit the good length area consistently. Stirling was done in by the movement but played a rash shot too. Just one run off the over.

OUT! Umesh Yadav strikes off the second ball. Stirling is gone. 

Good length delivery outside off, moves away a tad. Stirling slashes at it but gets an outside edge to first slip where the fielder takes a good reflex catch.

Paul Stirling and James Shannon are the openers. Umesh Yadav will start off.

Highest strike rate in a T20I innings: (Min.30 runs)

362.50 – Yuvraj Singh v Eng, Durban, 2007
357.14 – Colin Munro v SL, Auckland, 2016
355.55 – Hardik Pandya v Ireland, Dublin, 2018*

This is the first time that India have scored 200-plus runs in consecutive T20Is.

After 20 overs,India 213/4 ( Manish Pandey 21 , Hardik Pandya 32)

India have posted 213/4!

What a finish. 41 off the last 2 overs. Pandya with a whirlwind knock of 32 off 9 balls. He hit two sixes and a four off the last over. Some powerful strokeplay as India scored 21 off final over from O’Brien.

FOUR! Tennis forehand shot. Short outside off from O’Brien, Hardik smashes it to long on, flat batted.

India have now scored 11 200-plus scores in T20Is – the joint most by any team along with South Africa.

SIX! 2 in 2! 200 up. Hardik Pandya clobbers this over long on for another huge six.

SIX! One-handed from Hardik Pandya. Thump sit over wide long off. O’Brien can’t believe it.

O’Brien will bowl the final over.

After 19 overs,India 192/4 ( Manish Pandey 18 , Hardik Pandya 15)

It was turning out to be a good over at first. There were just three singles but then Chase missed his marker and bowled a wide. The next ball was clobbered for a six and the next one too. A couple off the last ball made it 18 runs off the over.

SIX! 2nd off the over, Hardik hammers it over deep mid-wicket. It’s MASSIVE.

SIX! What a shot! Hardik Pandya just whips it off the middle stump and it flies into the stands.

After 18 overs,India 174/4 ( Manish Pandey 16 , Hardik Pandya 0)

A very good over again. O’Brien has been the star of the day so far for Ireland. He conceded a four but gave away just 7 runs in all. Manish Pandey hit one over extra cover to open his boundary account in that over. He needs to get going. 16 off 16 balls. 2 overs to go, can India get to 200?

OUT! Kevin O’Brien gets his 3rd wicket. Raina departs after a well made fifty.

It’s short outside off, Raina stays in his crease and looks to pull. But the slowness of the track means that he is early into the shot and he helps it straight into the hands of the deep mid-wicket fielder.

O’Brien back into the attack.

After 17 overs**,India** 167/3 ( Suresh Raina 68 , Manish Pandey 10)

A decent over given circumstances. No boundary in that over. There were a couple of full tosses which were not dispatched to the fence. One yielded three. One a single. 10 runs off the over from Stirling. Ireland would look to restrict India to below 200.

Stirling into the attack now.

After 16 overs,India 157/3 ( Suresh Raina 63 , Manish Pandey 6)

The boundaries are flowing again. Raina pulls one over deep mid-wicket for a six and then heaves one over the same region for a boundary. Three singles more make it 13 runs off the Chase over. India would look to go all out in the last four overs now.

FOUR! Full toss from Chase, Raina swipes it to deep mid-wicket, great effort from Dockrell on the fence but he can’t save the boundary.

After 15 overs,India 144/3 ( Suresh Raina 51 , Manish Pandey 5)

It was turning out to be another very good over for Ireland until the last ball. Raina had a heart in mouth moment off the first ball of the over when Manish Pandey hit one straight back and O’Brien nearly deflected it onto the stumps at the non-striker’s end. There was an appeal for stumping also against him off the fourth ball but he had his back foot in. He then brought up his 50 off the penultimate ball. 9 runs off the over.

Survived the stumping and smack… fifty for Raina… this no.3 move with him has worked like a charm… so far that is, counting back to South Africa in January. Needs to work next week in England now.

FOUR! FIFTY! Full on the pads from O’Brien. Raina flicks it wide of short fine leg to bring up his 50 off 34 balls. Four 4s and two 6s in his innings so far.

Most ducks by Indian players in T20 cricket:

19 – ROHIT SHARMA*
19 – Harbhajan Singh

After 14 overs**,India** 135/3 ( Suresh Raina 45 , Manish Pandey 3)

No boundaries in the last two overs. The Irish are charged up and there is a spring in their steps. Dockrell varied his pace nicely and gave away just four singles in that over. There was a good piece of fielding to stop a single. India need to make sure they keep the momentum going and Ireland need to make sure they keep the newly built stranglehold.

Two-ball duck for Rohit Sharma… lazy shot and out caught at backward point. Makes sure that the middle order debate doesn’t even open up with his name thrown in… nope, he is going to open only in England. Funny chain of events if you think about it…

After 13 overs,India 131/3 ( Suresh Raina 43 , Manish Pandey 1)

A brilliant over for Ireland. O’Brien, like a king, came on, picked a wicket off the first ball and then sent back Rohit for a duck and celebrated with open heart. 3 runs and a wicket off the over.

Rohit Sharma’s record at No.4 in T20 cricket:

Innings – 106
Runs – 2937
Average – 33.00
SR – 129.04
50s – 22

OUT! O’Brien gets second in the over. He sets off in wild celebrations. It’s the slower one outside off, fuller in length. Rohit looks to drive but ends up hitting it uppishly to backward point where Stirling takes a good low catch.

OUT! O’Brien strikes first ball and he gets the in-form Rahul. 

Length delivery outside off, it stops a bit on Rahul who looks to push it down the ground. He is early into the shot and ends up chipping it back to O’Brien who makes no mistake. O’Brien celebrates with hands outstretched as if telling the world he is the kind. He also can’t believe it.

Kevin O’Brien into the attack now.

After 12 overs,India 128/1 ( Lokesh Rahul 70 , Suresh Raina 42)

Rahul and Raina are all at ease. There is a six being hit almost every over. Rahul starts the Dockrell with one. But then Dockrell hits back to concede 5 singles off the next 5 balls. He concentrated on bowling a bit quicker which hurried the batsmen. 11 off the over.

Fifty for Rahul… has batted in the same gear as he was in the IPL… looked good during the Afghanistan Test too and should have had a century there before he played a false stroke. A hundred is here for the taking if he doesn’t repeat that mistake here in Malahide… also, it means India have another problem of plenty on hand when they face England next. Imagine Rahul sitting out in Manchester despite this form…

SIX! Hammered. Rahul clobbers it straight back down the ground off Dockrell.

After 11 overs,India 117/1 ( Lokesh Rahul 61 , Suresh Raina 40)

Another over with a boundary (2 sixes) and a wide. Ireland haven’t got their lines and lengths right at all. Rahul got to his fifty with a six and then a ball later smacked one over extra cover for the second. 16 runs off the over. The pitch has nothing on offer for the bowlers. Ireland are in for a long day it seems.

SIX! WOW! Powerful. Full outside off, Rahul smacks it flat over extra cover.

Players to score 1000-plus runs in T20 cricket in 2018:

Rishabh Pant 
Shane Watson 
SURESH RAINA*

100-up for India at exactly the half way mark… once again, Irish bowling hasn’t troubled the Indian top-order. They are looking set for some good runs. Almost like Rahul and Raina will have to voluntarily retire like in a practice game to allow the middle order to have a bat.

SIX! FIFTY! Short from Rankin, Rahul pulls it over fine leg. A breezy innings so far. Three fours and four sixes in his innings so far.

After 10 overs**,India** 101/1 ( Lokesh Rahul 47 , Suresh Raina 39)

The 100 is up for India. Raina and Rahul are ticking away here. 9 runs from the over. Dockrell bowled a couple of bad balls. One short, which was pulled away to deep mid-wicket for a four and other a full toss which was flicked away to the same region for a couple. Ireland need a wicket now.

Dockrell back into the attack.

After 9 overs,India 92/1 ( Lokesh Rahul 45 , Suresh Raina 32)

It was turning out to be a good over until the last ball. Stirling darted in a full toss and Raina lofted it over extra cover for four. Again there was a wide in that over. Plus four singles made it 9 off the over.

FOUR! Full toss from Stirling, Raina lofts it over extra cover.

Paul Stirling into the attack now.

After 8 overs**,India** 83/1 ( Lokesh Rahul 43 , Suresh Raina 26)

A HUGE over for India. After a single from the first ball, Rahul hit one out of the park. Simi then tried to bowl it a bit quicker and conceded a wide. Rahul then hammered another six and a four before a couple of singles more made it 20 off the over. Ireland have been pretty poor with their discipline in this series. 6 wides so far in this match itself.

Looks like Rahul has got over his pain… two spanking sixes and a four… that was a full toss he couldn’t make count fully but a boundary nevertheless… Simi Singh taking some punishment… 200 looks par for course again here.

FOUR! Singh looks a tad rattled. After being hit for 2 sixes, he bowls a wide and then a full toss which is dispatched to deep mid-wicket fence.

SIX! 2nd in the over. Rahul upping ante. Gets down and heaves it over deep mid-wicket off Singh.

The ball is lost and they have replaced it.

SIX! MASSIVE. Rahul charges down the track and plunders it over long on. It’s into the trees.

Simi Singh back into the attack.

After 7 overs**,India** 63/1 ( Lokesh Rahul 26 , Suresh Raina 24)

A disciplined over from Dockrell. He varied his lengths well. Didn’t get much turn but was tight with his lines. 6 singles off the over.

50 up for India thanks to some attacking play from Raina… but at the same time, Rahul has a scary hit on the knee… full blooded throw getting him right when he was running… looks pretty painful even from a distance…

George Dockrell into the attack.

After 6 overs**,India** 57/1 ( Lokesh Rahul 23 , Suresh Raina 21)

He conceded a boundary but still, it was a decent over from Chase. He beat Raina’s outside edge with one that moved away. Then again beat Raina on his wild heave across the line. Raina managed to somehow get a four off an inside edge through mid-wicket. Two singles off the last two balls made it 7 off the over. Rahul was down on the ground after being hit by the throw on a quick single. But he is up and looks comfortable.

FOUR! Raina gives himself room, charges and swings it across the line. Doesn’t connect it off the middle but it still races away.

After 5 overs,India 50/1 ( Lokesh Rahul 21 , Suresh Raina 16)

A poor start from Thompson. Raina put early pressure with two sixes off the first three balls. One over extra cover and one over deep mid-wicket. That had Thompson rattled a bit. He then goes on to bowl three wides. He, however, gets some shape off the last three balls and concedes just two singles. 17 runs off the over.

Suresh Raina has consistently batted at no.3 in T20Is since the turn of the year… its a massive move on Virat Kohli’s part… and two sixes in three balls from Raina… for the time being it is working. Could be the way forward whenever India start preparing for the 2020 World T20.

SIX! 2nd in the over. Raina this time swings it across, over mid-wicket for another maximum.

SIX! Raina welcomes Thompson in style, lofts it over extra cover off the first ball of the over.

Thompson into the attack now.

After 4 overs**,India** 39/1 ( Lokesh Rahul 20 , Suresh Raina 9)

A decent over for India. Three singles off the first three balls and then Rahul pulled one into the stands. Rankin, however, hit back to bowl two dot balls to end the over. Rahul is looking a tad restless now. He looked to swing across the penultimate ball but couldn’t connect it well. 9 runs off the over.

Bowlers to dismiss Virat Kohli in consecutive T20Is:

Stuart Meaker 
Peter Chase*

SIX! Short from Rankin, Rahul was waiting for that. He pulls it over fine leg and into the stands.

Rankin continues….

After 3 overs,India 24/1 ( Lokesh Rahul 13 , Suresh Raina 1)

A very good over from Chase. He carried on from where he left off with three wickets in the final over of 1st T20I. He got the wicket of Kohli in that over and gave away just four singles. Just like Kohli, the Irish should look to Raina as well. It doesn’t take an Einsteins’ brain to know that he doesn’t like short deliveries.

Suresh Raina is the new batsman.

Indian fans singing one of the all-time great songs… “Mere Desh Ki Dharti…” but the diamond in this batting line-up is gone… another cheap dismissal for Virat Kohli… gone for 9 off 8 balls. So he is heading to England tour with scores of 0 & 9. Already under pressure? Or not? You decide. Suresh Raina at no.3.

OUT! Peter Chase strikes first and it’s KOHLI who walks back.

The short ball tactic has worked. It’s short on middle, Kohli walks down the track, swivels for a pull but gets a top edge and Dockrell at fine leg pouches a very good catch.

After 2 overs**,India** 20/0 ( Lokesh Rahul 11 , Virat Kohli (C) 8)

A good over from Rankin. He nearly had Kohli twice. After three runs from first three balls, Kohli looked to swing across the line but got a thick inside edge which flew wide of the mid on fielder. Rankin then bowled a bouncer which surprised Kohli, he looked to defend but the ball caught the shoulder of the bat and fell short of the point fielder. 8 runs off the over.

Virat Kohli’s average and SR in T20s as an opener: 50.33 and 140.18

FOUR! Streaky, Kohli looks to go downtown, doesn’t connect it well, the bat turns in his hands and he gets a thick inside edge wide of mid on and to the fence.

Virat Kohli’s career average and SR in T20s: 40.78 and 133.50

Boyd Rankin will share the new ball.

After 1 overs,India 12/0 ( Lokesh Rahul 10 , Virat Kohli (C) 1)

Good start from India. Simi Singh didn’t get any turn. Rahul manufactured two shots, both were dispatched to the fence. Four more singles made it 12 runs off the over. Don’t know if it’s a good idea to start off with Singh who doesn’t come near to looking threatening.

FOUR! 2nd in the over. Rahul gives himself room and clobbers it over mid off again.

Lokesh Rahul was the third highest run-grtter in IPL 2018. He scored 659 runs at an average of 54.91 and a strike rate of 158.41. He is opening with the skipper today.

FOUR! Just the fourth ball**,** KL Rahul charges and hammers it over mid off, off Singh.

Loud, loud cheer as Virat Kohli comes out to bat with KL Rahul in tow… This is the permutation and combination within rotation of playing eleven… feels like a proper practice match before a big tour as all Indian players are getting opportunity for a proper hit out.

Well, Well! It’s not Rohit Sharma but Virat Kohli who is walking out to open with KL Rahul. Ireland will start off with spin as Simi Singh gets ready to bowl the first ball.

Right! The players have walked out for the national anthems!

One change for Ireland too… brought back William Porterfield. Adding a bit more experience perhaps, in hope of dealing better with the Indian wrist spinners. Ireland opted to field once again, so no surprises there. Batting first won’t do them or broadcasters any favours.

Kaul, Yadav, Rahul, DK in…. Bhuvi, Bumrah, Dhawan, Dhoni sitting out… like for like replacements… no permutations or combinations from Virat Kohli, which is a curve ball in itself too because there is usually a lot of chatter around the multiple roles any particular player can play. 

Interesting that Manish Pandey is being persisted with. Remember he is not part of the ODI squad, so this (plus England T20Is) is his only outing in the UK.

Most consecutive T20Is missed for India between two appearances:

65 – UMESH YADAV*
56 – Dinesh Karthik 
29 – Ashish Nehra

Ireland XI: Paul Stirling, James Shannon, William Porterfield, Andrew Balbirnie, Gary Wilson(w/c), Simi Singh, Kevin O Brien, Stuart Thompson, George Dockrell, Boyd Rankin, Peter Chase

India XI: Rohit Sharma, Lokesh Rahul, Virat Kohli(c), Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik(w), Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Siddarth Kaul, Yuzvendra Chahal

Team composition: 

Ireland: One change for Ireland as William Porterfield comes in for Stuart Poynter. Wilson informs that he will keep wickets. 

India: Four changes for India as KL Rahul, Dinesh Karthik, Umesh Yadav and Siddharth Kaul come in for Shikhar Dhawan, MS Dhoni, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah

TOSS: Gary Wilson wins the toss again and Ireland will bowl.

Looks a few changes in store for India… as per the rotational policy predicted by Virat Kohli the other day… Bumrah helping in giving slip catching practice, so he is definitely out. Bhuvi and Manish Pandey look rested too. Kaul-Yadav bowling so they are in after a long wait. Pandya marking his run up as well.

Sold Out… Full house! 

These are the boards pinned on the outside at The Village in Malahide as India and Ireland play the second T20I. That’s a lot of blue in the crowd… Much like Wednesday.

Right then, we are just 5 minutes away from the toss. So, stay tuned.

India-Ireland matches must be taken for what they are: An occasion for India’s batsmen and bowlers to run into form and get into the groove for tougher tests ahead. Here is Vedam Jaishankar on how India ticked all the right boxes in the 1st T20I.

Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal took seven wickets in the 1st T20I and this should be surely playing on the minds of Irish cricketers. Captain Gary Wilson had said, “I did not expect it to spin as it did in the second innings… we need to go back and have a look at how we are going to play Kuldeep and Chahal in the second game.” The soin twins from India can still come to haunt them. They have to be really, really prepared to take them on.

Expect some big changes in the 2nd T20I by India. Captain Virat Kohli was very clear about giving all his players a go in the T20I series. Here is what he had to say on the playing XI for the 2nd T20I.

Kuldeep Yadav was brilliant in the 1st T20I against Ireland, picking up a 4-wicket haul. It is still early days in his maiden tour of the UK but Kuldeep Yadav feels he has adapted well to the conditions. Read here about what more he has to say.

JUST IN: England have announced their ODI squad for the 3-match series against India. The good news for them is that all-rounder Ben Stokes returns after sustaining an injury. Click here to see the full squad.

As captain, Virat Kohli has so far treaded an unconventional path in matters of selection. He is bizarrely unpredictable when it comes to Test cricket, often gunning for a horses-for-courses policy, while in limited-overs’ cricket, he strives for a consistent team selection. Read the full preview by Chetan Narula here .

Hello and welcome to the LIVE coverage of the 2nd T20I between India and Ireland being played in Dublin.