Team India won by four runs in the exciting T20 match played between India and Ireland. India, led by Hardik Pandya, won the second match in a row to clean sweep the two-match T20I series. Team India, batting first, scored a huge total of 227 runs and then successfully defended it. Umran Malik saved 17 runs in the last over. Deepak Hooda, who scored a century for India, was given the title of Player of the Match.
Ireland gave a tough competition to the visiting team chasing India’s target of 228 runs. The hosts got off to a fast and strong start. Paul Stirling (40) and captain Andy Balbirnie (60) shared a 34-ball 72-run partnership for the first wicket. Ravi Bishnoi gave India the first breakthrough by bowling Sterling. After this, Gareth Delany was run out without opening the account and returned to the pavilion. However, Balbirnie continued to score runs with Harry Tector and forged a vital partnership. He also completed his half-century during this period.
Umran got his first wicket
What a thriller we’ve witnessed 😮#TeamIndia win the 2nd #IREvIND by 4 runs and seal the 2-match series 2️⃣-0️⃣ 👏👏
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/6Ix0a6evrR pic.twitter.com/6GaXOAaieQ
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 28, 2022
After Balbirnie’s dismissal, Tector also played quick shots and scored 39 runs in 28 balls. At the other end, Lorcan Tucker was dismissed by Umran Malik at the hands of Yuzvendra Chahal and got his first wicket. Ireland’s team looked in trouble after losing four wickets at 142, but after that George Dockrell (34 *) and Tector batted together and shared a 47-run partnership. Bhuvneshwar, however, dealt another big blow to the hosts by dismissing Tector and gave India relief. But Mark Ader, along with Dockrell, increased the pace of runs and made an unbroken partnership for the sixth wicket. Both took the team closer to victory but Umran successfully defended 17 runs in the last over.
Record partnership of 176 runs between Samson-Hooda
Earlier, the Indian team landed with three changes. Hardik won the toss and elected to bat and Ishan Kishan along with Sanju Samson opened the innings. Ishan went on after scoring three runs in the third over. But after this Deepak Hooda and Samson together took the innings forward and shared a record partnership. The duo put on the highest Indian partnership of 176 runs in 85 balls for the second wicket.
Hooda fourth Indian to score a century in T20 Internationals
While Hooda scored his maiden T20 International century, Samson also scored the highest individual score during this period. Hooda became the fourth Indian to score a century in T20 International cricket. He scored 104 runs in 57 balls which included nine fours and six sixes. Sanju Samson played him well, scoring 77 runs in 42 balls with nine fours and four sixes. Putting pressure on the inexperienced bowlers of Ireland, both played the shots they wanted.
Samson-Hooda gets life
Samson got life in the ninth over when leg-spinner Gareth Delany dropped his hard return catch. Earlier in the eighth over, Paul Stirling had dropped Hooda’s catch. Samson was dismissed in the 17th over by Adair. India’s score was 212 runs when Hooda’s wicket fell. Dinesh Karthik, Harshal Patel and Akshar Patel could not even open the account. India lost three wickets within 14 runs in the last two overs. Surya Kumar Yadav was dismissed for 15 while skipper Hardik Pandya remained unbeaten on 13.
