IND vs IRE 2022, 2nd T20I: Who won yesterday's India vs Ireland match?

India beat Ireland by four runs in Tuesday’s T20I match at The Village in Dublin. In a high-scoring encounter, India batted first and posted an imposing 225/7. Ireland were terrific in the chase and gave India a massive scare before falling tantalizingly short of the target, ending on 221/5.

After openers Paul Stirling (40 off 18) and skipper Andy Balbirnie (60 off 37) got Ireland off to a sizzling start, George Dockrell (34* off 16) and Mark Adair (23* off 12) took the game till the very end. It all came down to Ireland needing 17 off the last over. Adair struck the second and third balls for fours, but Umran Malik held his nerve and ensured India sneaked home to an unconvincing victory.

Chasing a mammoth 226 for victory, Ireland’s openers were spectacular, adding 72 inside the powerplay. Stirling took 18 runs off the first over bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, slamming the experienced Indian pacer for 6,4,4,4 off consecutive deliveries. In the next over, he hooked Indian skipper Hardik Pandya for a maximum.

Bhuvneshwar and Hardik both returned for a second over but continued to be punished by Stirling, with Balbirnie also joining the fun. After four overs, the hosts raced to 50 for no loss. Two sixes also came off Harshal Patel’s first over, the fifth of the innings. A chest-high full-toss (no ball) was dispatched by Balbirnie over the ropes while the free hit was also slammed over long-on for a maximum.

After surviving an lbw appeal against Ravi Bishnoi, Stirling was bowled by the leg-spinner off the very next ball in the last over of the powerplay. The experienced Ireland opener bottom-edged a good-length ball onto the stumps and walked back after a scintillating knock. Gareth Delany (0) was run out by a direct hit from Hardik while attempting a risky single.

Bishnoi could have had Balbirnie stumped in the eighth over when the opener was in his 30s. But the batter survived as the Indian spinner had overstepped. Balbirnie carried on to complete a 34-ball half-century by pushing Axar Patel for a single to sweeper cover. At the halfway stage, Ireland were 107/2 and very much in the hunt.

Harshal delivered the big breakthrough for India, having Balbirnie caught at deep point. Umran then claimed his first international wicket, having Lorcan Tucker (5) caught as the batter miscued an attempted big hit.

With 79 needed off the last six overs, Dockrell clobbered Bishnoi for a six and two fours as the hosts kept the spirited chase alive. The batter slammed two more maximums off the 17th over bowled by Harshal to bring the equation to 38 off 18.

Bhuvneshwar provided much-needed relief for India, having Harry Tector (39) caught at long-on with a good delivery in the block hole. Ireland did not give up till the very end though. In the penultimate over, Adair sliced a full toss from Harshal over mid-off for four before swinging the next ball over the ropes. They went hard in the last over as well, but fell just short.

---

Hooda ton, Samson 77 lift India to 225 for 7

Hooda became only the fourth Indian male cricketer to register a T20I century as the Men in Blue put up an imposing 225/7 after winning the toss and batting first. Hooda smashed 104 in 57 balls and featured in a second-wicket stand of 176 with Sanju Samson (77 off 42), the highest ever for India.

India lost Ishan Kishan cheaply for three as his attempted slog off Adair ended up as an outside edge to the keeper. There was not much to cheer for Ireland thereafter as Hooda and Samson dominated proceedings. Hooda ended the third over by hooking Adair for a maximum over backward square leg.

He enjoyed some luck as he overturned an lbw decision, off Joshua Little's bowling in the fifth over using DRS. Hooda and Samson combined to slam Craig Young for a six and two fours as India ended the powerplay at 54/1.

Samson pulled Delany for a maximum over long-on in the ninth over as India did not allow the bowlers to settle into any kind of rhythm. When off-spinner Andy McBrine was introduced in the 10th over, Hooda clubbed him for two sixes. A single off the last ball of the over brought up his rapid fifty off 27 balls.

It kept raining fours and sixes for the set India duo. Samson brought up his maiden T20I half-century in the 13th over, pulling Delany past deep midwicket for a boundary. In the leg-spinner’s next over, Samson helped himself to consecutive sixes as India reached 177/1 with five overs to go.

Samson hit another maximum off a full toss from Adair, but the Irish pacer hit back by cleaning up the Indian batter with a good yorker. At the other end, Hooda reached a 55-ball hundred with a single off Little. His brilliant innings ended when he sliced an attempted big hit.

India lost a few quick wickets in their endeavor to push the scoring but would have been happy with the eventual score, at least at the halfway stage!

---

India vs Ireland 2022: Who was Player of the Match in 2nd T20I?

It was a memorable match for the batters. Hooda struck nine fours and six sixes in his 104 off 57 balls. Samson’s blazing 77 included nine fours and four maximums.

Balbirnie top-scored for Ireland in the chase, hitting as many as seven sixes in his 60. Adair played a fine cameo to go with his 3 for 42.

Hooda was named Player of the Match for his blazing hundred.