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.
India’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)
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