Hosts stun three-time T20 World Cup champions with dramatic one-run victory to secure maiden bilateral T20I series triumph
BELFAST: Ireland produced one of the greatest achievements in their cricket history on Sunday by defeating India by a single run at Stormont to complete a historic 2-0 clean sweep in the two-match T20 International series.
The victory secured Ireland’s first-ever bilateral T20I series win over India and capped a remarkable weekend for Irish cricket, underlining the nation’s growing stature on the international stage.
Having registered their maiden T20I victory over India with a convincing 34-run win in the opening match on Friday, Ireland returned to Stormont and held their nerve in a tense finale to overcome the three-time T20 World Cup champions once again.
Ireland captain Lorcan Tucker praised his team’s discipline and composure after lifting the series trophy.
“We kept things simple and played good cricket. The character shown by some of our younger players was outstanding,” Tucker said after the match.
Chasing a target of 155, India endured another disappointing start as Ireland’s bowlers dismantled the top order. Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and captain Shreyas Iyer were dismissed cheaply, while Ishan Kishan was run out, leaving the visitors struggling at 35-4 during the powerplay.
Tilak Varma kept India’s hopes alive with a determined half-century, while Shivam Dube accelerated late in the innings. However, Ireland’s disciplined bowling attack maintained relentless pressure and prevented the visitors from completing the chase.
Needing eight runs from the final two deliveries, India saw their hopes disappear when Harshit Rana was dismissed, triggering jubilant celebrations among the Irish players and home supporters.
Earlier, Ireland recovered impressively after slipping to 58-3, thanks largely to Harry Tector, who celebrated his 100th T20I appearance with a composed half-century. Ben Calitz added valuable late runs with an aggressive 37 from 23 balls to lift Ireland to a competitive total beyond 150.
India’s bowlers had performed well for long periods. Debutant Prince Yadav impressed with figures of 3-22, while Shivam Dube and Arshdeep Singh claimed two wickets apiece to restrict the hosts.
Ireland’s victory was built around an outstanding bowling display from Jai Moondra, whose figures of 3-32 from four overs proved decisive. Having claimed five wickets across the two matches, Moondra was named both Player of the Match and Player of the Series.
India captain Shreyas Iyer admitted his side had been second best throughout the series.
“It was not a great series for us. Credit to Ireland; they understood the conditions much better than we did and played professionally throughout,” Iyer said.
He acknowledged that India’s batting line-up failed to adapt to the slower conditions, adding that the team paid the price for playing overly aggressive shots instead of rotating the strike consistently.
The series triumph completed an unforgettable three-day period for Irish cricket. Following the men’s first-ever T20I victory over India on Friday, Ireland’s women defeated the West Indies on Saturday to register their maiden Women’s T20 World Cup victory. Sunday’s success completed a historic treble for Irish cricket.
Ireland will next host Afghanistan in a five-match One-Day International series beginning on August 5, while India will seek to recover quickly when they begin a five-match T20I series against England on July 1.
For Ireland, the series will be remembered as one of the defining moments in the country’s cricketing history, highlighting the team’s rapid progress and ability to challenge—and defeat—one of the sport’s traditional powerhouses.
