On this day in 2018: India decimate Ireland with a strong all-round performance
India are currently in Ireland for a two-match T20Is ahead of their nearly one-month all-format bilateral series against England. This is India’s second tour of Ireland for a bilateral T20I series with the first one being in 2018.
That tour saw India completely decimate the Irish side in their own backyard with exceptional batting and bowling performances combined. Meanwhile, it was on this very day four years ago that a masterclass from Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan along with a brilliant spell from Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal destroyed Ireland.
When India made easy work of Ireland
India and Ireland faced off in the first T20I at Dublin. Irish skipper Gary Wilson won the toss and elected to bowl first. However, the decision brutally backfired as the destructive opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma toyed around with the bowlers and completely shattered their confidence as both went on to register quickfire half-centuries.
The duo added 160 runs for the opening stand before Shikhar was dismissed for a 45-ball 74. Rohit agonizingly fell short of his century after being bowled by Peter Chase for 97 runs from 61 deliveries. Riding on their spectacular knocks, the Men in Blue posted a mammoth total of 208/5.
The total might have proved to be way beyond Ireland’s reach, but they decided to go down fighting and that is exactly what opener James Shannon tried to do. He single-handedly took care of the Irish chase and showed fearless intent against the Indian bowlers despite losing partners at the other end.
Shannon did his best to reduce the deficit for the hosts, but was eventually outfoxed by wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav for a 35-ball 60 in the 12th over. That was indeed the turning point for Ireland and they just could not recover from that setback.
The spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal fondly addressed as ‘KulCha’ ran through the Irish batting line-up and restricted them to just 132/9 from their 20 overs. Thus, with an emphatic 76-run win, India went 1-0 up in the series.
KulCha shared seven wickets between them. While Kuldeep Yadav finished with figures of 4/21 from his four overs at an economy of 5.25 including a maiden, Chahal contributed with bowling figures of 3/38 from his quota of four overs at an economy rate of 9.50. Kuldeep was adjudged the Player of the Match for his match-winning spell.
