NEW DELHI: India began their ICC T20 World Cup 2024 campaign with a resounding eight-wicket victory over Ireland, marking their joint-most successive wins against any opponent in the shortest format.
This win equaled India’s record of eight consecutive T20I victories against Bangladesh, achieved between 2009 and 2018.
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The victory adds to India's list of dominant streaks, including seven consecutive T20I wins against Australia (2013-2017), Sri Lanka (2016-2017), and the West Indies (2018-2019).
The match saw notable performances from skipper Rohit Sharma, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, and bowlers Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah.
Rohit Sharma, who completed 600 sixes in international cricket, played a pivotal role with a half-century, scoring 52 off 37 balls. His innings included four boundaries and three sixes, setting a solid foundation for India’s chase.
Rishabh Pant, coming in after Rohit’s injury-forced departure, finished the game strongly with an unbeaten 36 off 26 balls. Pant’s innings, highlighted by three fours and two sixes, culminated in him hitting the winning runs off the second ball of the 13th over.
1/10:India rout Ireland in their T20 World Cup opener
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2/10:CAPTAIN'S KNOCK
<p>India captain Rohit Sharma allayed fears about an arm injury after making 52 before retiring hurt as his side thrashed Ireland by eight wickets in the teams' T20 World Cup opener in New York on Wednesday.<br /></p>AFP
3/10:DOMINANT DISPLAY
<p>India only required 97 to win after a dominant display by their bowling attack, with left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh striking twice in the third over to reduce Ireland to 9-2 after Rohit won the toss.<br /></p>AFP
4/10:SUPER PANDYA
<p><br />All-rounder Hardik Pandya took two wickets in two balls on his way to 3-27 and Jasprit Bumrah, the player of the match, 2-6.<br /></p>IANS
5/10:POOR SHOW
<p>Ireland, all out for just 96, needed to hold every chance to have any hope of a shock upset.<br /></p>AFP
6/10:ROHIT SURVIVES
<p>But Rohit had made just two when, off the last ball of the first over of India's chase, he edged Mark Adair through the hands of Andrew Balbirnie at second slip.<br /></p>AFP
7/10:VIRAT FALLS
<p>Adair dismissed Virat Kohli for just one, when the star batsman sliced to deep third man, but the damage had been done as India launched their bid to win a first major title since their 2013 Champions Trophy triumph with a commanding Group A victory.<br /></p>AFP
8/10:CAPTAIN ON DUTY
<p>Rohit punished Ireland with a 37-ball innings, including four fours and three well-struck sixes as he shared a stand of 54 with Rishabh Pant.<br /></p>IANS
9/10:COMEBACK MAN
<p>Rishabh Pant, returning to international cricket after a horror car crash in December 2022, finished on 36 not out and ended the match with a typically flamboyant reverse-scooped six off Barry McCarthy as India won with nearly eight overs left.<br /></p>AFP
10/10:BOOM-BOOM BUMRAH
<p>Jasprit Bumrah was adjudged Player of the Match for figures 2-6.<br /></p>AFPIndia’s bowlers were dominant from the start. Winning the toss and opting to field, they restricted Ireland to a modest total of 96 runs in 16 overs. Ireland’s batting lineup struggled against the disciplined Indian attack, with Gareth Delany (26 off 14 balls) and Joshua Little (14 off 13 balls) providing the only notable resistance.
Hardik Pandya led the bowling charge with figures of 3/27, supported by Jasprit Bumrah’s economical 2/6. Arshdeep Singh (2/35), Mohammed Siraj (1/13), and Axar Patel (1/3) also contributed significantly to India’s tight bowling performance.
India’s chase was efficient and composed, with Rohit’s early aggression and Pant’s finishing touch ensuring an easy victory. This win not only kicked off India’s T20 World Cup campaign on a positive note but also highlighted their consistency against Ireland, securing their eighth consecutive win against the side in T20Is.
(With inputs from ANI)
