Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Match Centre

Statistics

Best performances - Batsmen

LJ Tucker
LJ Tucker
50(36) 5x4 - 2x6
Control %72%
  • Productive Shot
  • pull
  • 16 runs
  • 2x4 - 1x6
1 6 2 2 12 1 9 17
GJ Delany
GJ Delany
49(32) 3x4 - 3x6
Control %68%
  • Productive Shot
  • slog shot
  • 12 runs
  • 0x4 - 2x6
4 6 3 1 1 17 13 4

Best performances - Bowlers

Harshit Rana
Harshit Rana
O4
M0
R24
W3
Eco6
RHB
OFFLEG
3W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
MK Hollard
O4
M0
R28
W3
Eco7
RHB
OFFLEG
1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
1W
1W

Match Details

Toss

India , elected to field first

Player Of The Match

Series result

Ireland led the 2-match series 1-0

Match number

Season

Hours of play (local time)

13.30 start, First Session 13.30-15.00, Interval 15.00-15.20, Second Session 15.20-16.50

Match days

26 June 2026 (20-over match)

Reserve Umpire

Match Referee

Scorer: Thilak Ram | Commentator: Abhimanyu Bose

5.20pm Oh my, what a day, what a match. I am sure the Irish lads are going to go off to celebrate, and rightly so. This is one of the most significant results in their cricketing history. But they will also be pumped to return on Sunday and get the job again. But, they should also expect India to come back doubly determined to make amends after they failed to capitalise on the advantages they created for themselves. Should be a cracker of a second game of the series. And for today, it's been great fun calling this, but it's time to say goodbye. On behalf of Sudarshanan, Thilak and Harshith, it's Abhimanyu signing off.

5.11pm Time for the presentation ceremony.

Lorcan Tucker: "It was pretty special that. We scrapped through the game, we had some tough periods, but we we stuck to it, we were diligent. I think India bowled really well at the start. They bowled good lengths. We found it challenging to hit good shots. It was like a Test match for a bit. I think it's pretty special to beat the world champions at home. Credit to the lads. All the work behind the scenes from Cricket Ireland. (On the debutants) I think they were really dogged. We learned from what India were bowling. And they showed great ability to keep hitting the right spots. (On Sunday) A series win against India at home would be special. The lads can't wait to come back here."

Shreyas Iyer: "Initially, the bowlers were bowling venom. But in between we lost the execution and let them hit us straight down the ground, where the boundaries are smaller. I thought 140 would have been a good score to chase, given the start we had with the ball. But yeah, great start as a captain (laughs). Definitely, we are going to forget what happened and there's lot to learn from this game. Going to come out all guns blazing in the next game. [The fast bowlers] were getting help at the start, and Shivam bowls crucial overs so I always trust him. Harshit Rana bowled phenomenally well, coming back from injury. (Message to the team) You can't take anything for granted. You have to turn up and work hard and stay in the present and if you have the opportunity to squeeze the opponent, you have to do that."

The debutant Matt Hollard is the POTM! Here's what he has to say: "In all honesty, I never expected this. I always knew I had it, but I never thought I'd make my debut against India. It's a dream come true. My family has flown in from Jo'burg. It's a bit of a dream. [On when the ball went up in the air off his first ball] After that first ball, I turned to Harry and said 'The first one's done'. And then when the ball went in the air, my heart just stopped for the moment. Really, really special. I have really been wanting to come over to Ireland since 2019. Then Covid hit and there were complications. There were setbacks from me. My brother came here first and said you have to come over. And then Cricket Ireland have been amazing in how they took care of me. [On his family] I haven't seen them in a while and to see them over here, nothing could be better. Them seeing me get my cap and then cheering me on, it's unbelievable."


Some stats from Sampath as we wait for the presentation ceremony: Last three men's T20 World Cup champions lost the immediate T20I they played.

2022 - England (vs Bangladesh in 2023) 2024 - India (vs Zimbabwe in 2024) 2026 - India (vs Ireland in 2026)

faisal: "We keep getting told that India have three or four teams that could beat anyone in the world, why didn't they send one of them to Belfast
.? "

5.05pm Ireland came into this game with a handful of first-choice bowlers out with injury. Against an Indian batting unit known for smashing 200-plus totals for fun. Ireland lost the toss, and were 51 for 4. But they fought back from there to make 182. Abhishek Sharma then helped India raced to 68 at the end of the powerplay, despite losing three wickets. But, again, they never gave up. And with that tenacity, Ireland have carved out a famous, famous moment in their cricketing history. Ireland's new skipper, Lorcan Tucker, led from the front with a fifty that helped them recover. Some old hands in George Dockrell and Gareth Delany stepped up with the bat as well. And then it was all about the two debutants - Indian-born Jai Moondra and Matt Hollard - who kept pegging India back with regular wickets. For Shreyas Iyer, the return to T20I cricket, as captain no less, has now officially begun on a very difficult note. India's tour of UK, which includes one more T20I in Belfast, has started with defeat, and they know they need to come up with a strong response. But enough about that, today is about Tucker and his men, and a stirring performance.

18.5
W
Humphreys to Arshdeep Singh, OUT, High in the air, and it's taken. And that's the moment. Ireland have made history in Belfast. After eight failed attempts, they finally have their first win over India in international cricket, and what a time to do it to! India, the World Champions playing their first T20I after their World Cup triumph, have been shell-shocked. The players all immediately mob Humphreys, who has heroically closed out his spell with an injured hand. Lorcan Tucker's T20I captaincy has gotten off to as great a start as he could have dreamed of! Arshdeep is cramped for room as he tries for another hoick and skies it. Tim Tector runs in and takes the catch to deliver the knockout blow to the world champions!

Arshdeep Singh c TH Tector b Humphreys 2 (12m 4b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50

18.4
0
Humphreys to Arshdeep Singh, no run, 107kph length ball outside off, and Arshdeep finds nothing but thin air with a massive swing
18.3
1
Humphreys to Prasidh Krishna, 1 run, Cuts away this length ball outside off to the off-side sweeper
18.2
0
Humphreys to Prasidh Krishna, no run, Drilled in quick on a length, cut to backward point

Prasidh Krishna the last batter for India

18.1
W
Humphreys to Harshit Rana, OUT, This time Rana doesn't get away! Rana looks to take on this length ball and gets it off the toe end and it's hit straight to deep midwicket!

Harshit Rana c Calitz b Humphreys 8 (12m 9b 0x4 1x6) SR: 88.88

Humphreys will bowl out now

END OF OVER:
18 | 9 Runs | IND: 147/8 (36 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 8.16, RRR: 18.00)

  • Harshit Rana8 (8b)
  • Arshdeep Singh2 (2b)
  • Jai Moondra4-0-25-2
  • Gareth Delany1-0-3-1
17.6
1
Moondra to Harshit Rana, 1 run, Oh no, it almost was a wicket off the extra ball but Harry Tector has dropped a dolly at long-on! Gets a massive top edge as he tries to pull away this short ball and skies it towards long-on. Tector's team-mates almost begin celebrations but the ball just goes through his hands! Moondra denied a third, but figures of 2 for 25 including wickets of Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube makes for a great debut!

India 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st16SV SamsonAbhishek Sharma
2nd29Ishan KishanAbhishek Sharma
3rd15SS IyerAbhishek Sharma
4th20Abhishek SharmaNT Tilak Varma
5th10Washington SundarNT Tilak Varma
6th10S DubeWashington Sundar
7th35AR PatelS Dube
8th2AR PatelHarshit Rana
9th10Arshdeep SinghHarshit Rana
10th1M Prasidh KrishnaArshdeep Singh