India vs Ireland Highlights T20 World Cup 2024: India hammer Ireland by 8 wickets to begin campaign on a winning note

After 12.2 overs, India 97/2 (Rishabh Pant (wk) 36, Shivam Dube 0)

SIX! Rishabh Pant finishes off in style with a typical Rishabh Pant shot off Barry McCarthy — a reverse paddle off a full delivery, sending the ball all the way to the sight screen behind the keeper! The seamer can’t help but admire the audacity of the shot!

With that, India thrash Ireland by 8 wickets with 46 deliveries to spare, with their T20 World Cup campaign getting off to an ideal start on a difficult wicket in New York!

OUT! Suryakumar Yadav perishes while attempting to finish things off in style! India needed six to win with all the overs and wickets in hand, and SKY decided to go for a slog against leg-spinner Benjamin White, only to get a thick top-edge. George Dockrell settles under the ball near deep midwicket to complete a fine catch. IND 91/2; need 6 off 50

Surya c Dockrell b White 2(4)

After 10 overs, India 76/1 (Rohit Sharma (c) 52, Rishabh Pant (wk) 18)

FOUR! Fifty up for Rohit Sharma in 36 deliveries, bringing up the milestone by smacking a juicy full toss from Mark Adair in the seamer’s penultimate delivery of the day. Measured knock from the India skipper, collecting four fours and three sixes along the way but also exhibiting caution on what is a difficult track to bat on

After 8 overs, India 52/1 (Rohit Sharma (c) 30, Rishabh Pant (wk) 17)

Change from both ends after the conclusion of the powerplay, with Curtis Campher and Barry McCarthy replacing Mark Adair and Joshua Little respectively. Campher concedes four in his first over, which includes a brace to Pant in the final delivery as the southpaw cuts a short-of-length ball outside off behind point. McCarthy concedes a single in each of the first three deliveries in the following over before Pant helps himself to another brace, off a miscued pick-up shot that results in the ball falling in no-man’s land near fine leg. FOUR! Pant slaps a short-of-length ball down the ground, not quite timing it but managing to find the fence regardless, bringing up the fifty for Team India in the process.

After 6 overs, India 39/1 (Rohit Sharma (c) 27, Rishabh Pant (wk) 7)

Little returns to the attack. FOUR! A welcome boundary for the Indians as Rohit stretches his arms and steers a full, wide delivery from the Gujarat Titans pacer over backward point towards the vacant boundary! That takes the ‘Hitman’ past 4,000 runs in T20Is! Six off the over, with India collecting 39 runs in the powerplay for the loss of Virat Kohli’s wicket!

After 5 overs, India 33/1 (Rohit Sharma (c) 22, Rishabh Pant (wk) 6)

Another tidy over from Adair, with just four coming off it including three singles and a wide. It’s like a minefield for the batters out there at the moment and they’ll be happy to see off the powerplay and accelerate once the ball has got a little older.

After 4 overs, India 29/1 (Rohit Sharma (c) 20, Rishabh Pant (wk) 5)

Tidy over from Barry McCarthy, who replaces Joshua Little after the latter concedes 15 in his first over, conceding just three singles. India skipper Rohit, additionally, nearly gets run-out at the non-striker’s end while attempting to complete a risky single in the penultimate delivery.

After 3 overs, India 26/1 (Rohit Sharma (c) 18, Rishabh Pant (wk) 4)

FOUR! Drilled down the ground by Rishabh Pant, who’s batting at No 3 with Kohli being promoted to the top of the order! Prevents Adair from bowling out a wicket maiden by smashing an overpitched delivery past mid on.

OUT! The Indian supporters at the Nassau County International Stadium fall silent as Virat Kohli departs for 1 after getting promoted to the opener’s position! Kohli gave Adair the charge, which the seamer noticed as he decided to bowl it even shorter outside off. Kohli gets a top-edge while attempting to uppercut it, resulting in a simple catch for Ben White at third man. IND 22/1

Kohli c White b Adair 1(5)

After 16 overs, Ireland 96 (Benjamin White 2)

OUT! Gareth Delany’s entertaining little cameo ends in a run-out following a mix-up with Benjamin White, which results in Ireland getting bowled out for a paltry 96 after India opt to field!

Delany run-out (Siraj/Pant) 26(14)

BOWLED! Classic Jasprit Bumrah dismissal as he beats the batter with sheer pace and rattles the base of the stumps — off and middle on this occasion — with a searing, well-directed yorker! There’s ‘Little’ Joshua could’ve done about that delivery as he departs for 14. IRE 77/9

Little b Bumrah 14(13)

After 13 overs, Ireland 66/8 (Gareth Delany 9, Joshua Little 8)

Pandya proves expensive in his final over, conceding 14 off it including a six to Delany in the first delivery and a four to new batter Joshua Little two balls later. Delany pulled a short-of-length ball angling into the batter towards the deep square leg fence, reducing the fielder stationed in that direction to a mere spectator, while Little smacked a length ball down the ground past mid on for a four two balls later. Little sends the ball past Rohit at mid off in the following delivery, getting enough time to dash back for a third. Ireland had collected just three runs in the last two overs, losing a wicket in each. This one gives the Irishmen hope of going past the century mark. Pandya, meanwhile, signs off with figures of 4-1-27-3!

After 12 overs, Ireland 52/8 (Gareth Delany 2, Joshua Little 1)

OUT! First over of spin in the innings, and Axar Patel strikes right away! Barry McCarthy chips the ball towards the non-striker’s end, and Axar jumps to his right to complete a superb catch as Ireland lose their eighth wicket!

McCarthy c and b Axar 0(6)

Second wicket for Pandya in as many deliveries across overs, as yet another Irish batter falls to the short-ball ploy! Adair attempts to uppercut a short ball outside off from the all-rounder, but ends up hitting it off the toe-end, towards Shivam Dube who charges Second wicket for Pandya in as many deliveries across overs, as yet another Irish batter falls to the short-ball ploy! Adair attempts to uppercut a short ball outside off from the all-rounder, but ends up hitting it off the toe-end, towards Shivam Dube who charges forward from sweeper point to gobble the ball up. IRE 49/7 in 10.1

Adair c Dube b Pandya 3(2)

After 10 overs, Ireland 49/6 (Gareth Delany 0, Mark Adair 3)

OUT! Siraj joins Arshdeep, Pandya and Bumrah in the wicket-takers’ list as another Irish batter perishes after getting a thick top-edge while attempting to pull a short ball. Unlike Stirling, George Dockrell ends up getting caught near mid on, with Bumrah collecting a sitter. Mark Adair walks out to bat, and grabs three right away after slogging the ball towards long on. Drinks brought to the field at the halfway stage of the Irish innings with Stirling and Co six down with less than 50 on the board, facing the prospect of getting shot out for less than 100.

Dockrell c Bumrah b Siraj 3(5)

Pandya wins the battle against Campher after the South African-born all-rounder hits him for a four and a six. Campher was looking to defend a length delivery from Pandya, only to get a faint nick that resulted in an easy catch for keeper Pant thanks to a hint of late away movement. IND 44/5 in 9

Campher c Pant b Pandya 12(8)

After 8 overs, Ireland 36/4 (Curtis Campher 5)

OUT! Harry Tector gets the marching orders as Jasprit Bumrah strikes! It’s a well-directed bouncer from the Indian pace spearhead; Tector attempts to pull it towards the square-leg/backward square leg region, only to get a deflection onto his helmet off his glove/bat. Kohli settles under the ball near short extra cover to complete a simple catch. Ireland are four down with less than 40 on the board!

Tector c Kohli b Bumrah 4(16)

BOWLED! And now it’s Hardik Pandya’s turn to get his name on the wickets column as Lorcan Tucker departs just when he was starting to get settled at the crease. Tucker attempts to drive a full delivery from Pandya through extra cover, only for the ball to jag back in sharply and rattle the middle stump. IRE 28/3

Tucker b Pandya 10(13)

After 6 overs, Ireland 26/2 (Lorcan Tucker (wk) 9, Harry Tector 1)

Jasprit Bumrah’s introduced in the final over of the powerplay and he makes up for Arshdeep’s expensive third over, bowling out the first maiden of the innings. Starts off with a delivery that breaches Tector’s defence completely, with the ball sailing over the stumps, and follows it up with a couple of deliveries that shape away late, threatening the outside edge.

After 5 overs, Ireland 26/2 (Lorcan Tucker (wk) 9, Harry Tector 1)

Arshdeep’s relatively expensive in his third over, conceding 13 runs including five wides in the second delivery — an inswinger going a long way down leg — along with a second boundary to Tucker in as many overs in the final delivery. Tucker gets a gift of a delivery from Arshdeep in the form of a full, wide delivery, and cracks it through extra cover for an easy boundary. Tector, meanwhile, opens his account with single.

After 4 overs, Ireland 13/2 (Lorcan Tucker (wk) 5, Harry Tector 0)

FOUR! Welcome boundary for the Irishmen, only the second of the powerplay so far, as keeper-batter Lorcan Tucker scoops a length ball from Siraj over his Indian counterpart Pant, guiding the ball towards the fine leg fence. He is joined at the centre by Harry Tector.

After 3 overs, Ireland 9/2 (Lorcan Tucker (wk) 1, )

BOWLED! Two wickets in his second over for Arshdeep as he cleans Andy Balbirnie up five balls after getting rid of skipper Paul Stirling! Was looking to direct the length ball from the left-arm pacer towards third man, but missed the ball completely. The ball also perhaps stayed a touch low and deceived him in the process. Team India seize control right away after opting to field!

Balbirnie b Arshdeep 5(10)

OUT! Arshdeep Singh draws first blood for Team India as Paul Stirling gets a thick top-edge while trying to smash a short-of-length ball from the left-arm pacer out of the park, only to get a thick top-edge. Rishabh Pant runs a few steps backwards and completes a fine catch after settling under the ball. Wasn’t the easiest of chances, given how high the ball was in the air. IRE 7/1

Stirling c Pant b Arshdeep 2(6)

After 2 overs, Ireland 7/0 (Andy Balbirnie 5, Paul Stirling (c) 2)

Mohammed Siraj from the other end and he starts off with a couple of away-swingers to Balbirnie. Later bowls a couple of deliveries short, with the fourth delivery shooting high up in the air, forcing Pant leap high in the air to grab hold of the ball. Balbirnie collects the first boundary of the innings in the fifth delivery, guiding a ball that was going down leg towards the fine leg fence. Four off the over.

After 1 over, Ireland 3/0 (Andy Balbirnie 1, Paul Stirling (c) 2)

Arshdeep’s getting some movement right away, starting with an in-swinger to Balbirnie that the former Ireland skipper clips through the leg side for a single, opening his account right away. Current captain Stirling decides to give Arshdeep the charge in the next delivery and punches a length delivery through the covers. Would’ve collected a boundary at most venue, but the sluggish outfield at New York means he can only collect a couple (Kohli maybe would’ve collected a third).

India: Rohit Sharma(c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj

Ireland: Paul Stirling(c), Andrew Balbirnie, Lorcan Tucker(wk), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little, Benjamin White

Big news from the centre — NO YASHASVI JAISWAL IN THE XI! Which means Virat Kohli opens the innings alongside Rohit Sharma!

Also no Sanju Samson, with Rishabh Pant being picked as the wicketkeeper along expected lines.