Ireland v India: Tourists clinch T20 series with 33-run victory in Malahide
- Published
Balbirnie scored 72 runs as Ireland chased a total of 186
Second Twenty20 international, Malahide: |
India 185-5 (20 overs): Gaikwad 58, Samson 40; McCarthy 2-36 |
Ireland 152-8 (20 overs): Balbirnie 72; Bumrah 2-15, Krishna 2-29 |
India won by 33 runs |
India beat Ireland by 33 runs in Malahide to clinch the three-match T20 series with a game to spare.
Having been put in to bat by the home side, the tourists finished their innings strongly to post 185-5, with Ruturaj Gaikwad top scoring with 58.
Andrew Balbirnie spearheaded Ireland's response, hitting an impressive 72 off 51 balls, but it was not enough as they finished on 152-8.
The sides meet again to complete the series at the same venue on Wednesday.
Gaikwad and Sanju Samson gave the visitors the advantage, putting on a 71-run partnership before Ben White bowled the wicketkeeper for 40 and Barry McCarthy took his second wicket of the afternoon to dismiss Gaikwad for 58.
Despite losing their two big hitters, Rinku Singh (38) and Shivam Dube (22 not out) picked up the pace to smash 55 from 28 balls.
Craig Young caught Rinku off Mark Adair on the penultimate ball of the innings.
Ireland got off to a rocky start when Prasidh Krishna took the wickets of captain Paul Stirling and Lorcan Tucker, both for ducks, in the third over and Harry Tector soon fell for seven.
Balbirnie formed a valuable partnership with George Dockrell as the opening batter smashed 35 runs from a 52-run partnership.
Arshdeep Singh brought his brilliant innings to an end in the 16th over after Balbirnie was caught by Samson, before Adair hit 23 from 15 balls as Ireland fell short.