IND vs IRE: India has emerged victorious against Ireland with a commanding 8-wicket win. The Indian team kicked off their World Cup T-20 2024 campaign on a high note, thanks to a stellar partnership between Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant, following Virat Kohli’s early dismissal. In this match, Rohit Sharma showcased his batting prowess with an impressive innings of 52 runs off 37 balls, although he had to retire hurt due to a shoulder injury. Ireland, batting first, could only manage a total of 96 runs, with Gareth Delany scoring the highest at 26 runs off 14 balls. When India came out to chase the target, they achieved victory with a whopping 46 balls to spare, marking their first win in the World Cup.
The Indian team had a promising start while chasing the target of 97 runs, scoring 22 runs in just 2 overs. However, Virat Kohli’s dismissal on the fourth ball of the third over, after attempting a big shot, dampened their momentum. Kohli could only manage to score 1 run. Despite Kohli’s departure, India did not lose any wickets during the powerplay overs. However, the movement of the ball caused difficulties for Rishabh Pant and Rohit Sharma. In the first 6 overs, the team scored 39 runs and lost one wicket. In the 9th over, Rohit Sharma, also known as the ‘Hitman’, made an impact by hitting 2 massive sixes and reached his fifty in 36 balls. After 10 overs, India had scored 76 runs and lost 1 wicket, with 21 runs still needed to win from 60 balls. Unfortunately, before the start of the 11th over, Rohit Sharma had to retire hurt due to shoulder pain and returned to the dugout. Suryakumar Yadav was dismissed early in an attempt to finish the match, but Rishabh Pant ensured India’s victory by 8 wickets by hitting a six in the 13th over. Rishabh Pant played an important innings of 36 runs in 26 balls.
Virat Kohli’s remarkable achievement
Despite being dismissed for just one run in the Ireland match, Virat Kohli continues to maintain his impressive streak. It is worth noting that Kohli has never been out for a score of zero in the T20 World Cup. However, it is also true that none of Kohli’s innings in the World Cup have ended with a score below 2 runs. Therefore, Ireland has now become the team to dismiss him for the lowest score in the history of the T20 World Cup.
India never lost to Ireland
The inaugural clash of Ireland and India in T20 cricket took place in 2009, marking the beginning of their rivalry. Over the years, these two teams have competed in a total of 7 T20 matches, with India emerging victorious on each occasion. Their encounter in the T20 World Cup was no different, as India, led by Rohit Sharma, secured another win. With this triumph, India’s unbeaten record against Ireland in T20 matches now stands at 8-0.
