India’s opening T20I against Ireland at the Civil Service Cricket Ground in Stormont on Friday may face interruptions due to expected rain in Belfast. The match not only kicks off the series but also signals the start of a new chapter under captain Shreyas Iyer.
India vs Ireland: Belfast Weather Could Play Spoilsport
Rain is likely to influence the game, with forecasts indicating possible interruptions throughout the day in Belfast.
Hourly Weather Forecast (Local Time):
- 9:00 AM: 16°C – 45% chance of rain
- 10:00 AM: 17°C – 50%
- 11:00 AM: 18°C – 55%
- 12:00 PM: 19°C – 60%
- 1:00 PM: 20°C – 65%
- 2:00 PM: 21°C – 55%
- 3:00 PM: 22°C – 45%
- 4:00 PM: 22°C – 40%
- 5:00 PM: 21°C – 35%
- 6:00 PM: 20°C – 30%
While conditions are expected to improve slightly by evening, earlier rain could still impact the match.
All Eyes on Young Sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Apart from weather concerns, attention will be firmly on 15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who is on the verge of making his international debut. The youngster has impressed with standout performances in IPL 2026 and for India A, raising expectations among fans and selectors alike.
New Era Under Shreyas Iyer
This series marks Shreyas Iyer’s first assignment as India’s T20I captain after succeeding Suryakumar Yadav. His leadership will be closely watched as India begins a fresh journey in the shortest format.
Match Details
Venue: Civil Service Cricket Ground, Stormont, Belfast
Date: Friday, June 26
Match Start: 6:00 PM IST
Live Telecast: Sony Sports Network
Live Streaming: SonyLIV app and website
India vs Ireland: Squads
India: Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (Vice-Captain), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Suryansh Shedge (replaced injured Nitish Kumar Reddy)
Ireland: Lorcan Tucker (Captain), Ross Adair, Ben Calitz, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Matthew Humphreys, Gavin Hoey, Matthew Hollard, Liam McCarthy, Jai Mundra, Harry Tector, Tim Tector, Reuben Wilson
Despite the excitement surrounding new leadership and emerging talent, the weather could ultimately determine how much action fans get to witness in this much-anticipated clash.
