Ireland have defeated India for the first time in men’s international cricket, beating the reigning T20 world champions by 34 runs at Stormont, and the internet has a lot to say about it.
“World Champions ko lapait diya,” wrote one user. Another added, “Guess everyone who said ‘easy 2-0’ will be very quiet tonight.”
“World champions humbled by 12th rank team [sic],” a third user said.
The result was Ireland’s first-ever victory over India in men’s international cricket across any format, and it came against a side that had not lost a T20 match since winning a second successive T20 World Cup in March.
Ireland recovered from a precarious 51 for four to post 182 for nine, before debutants Matt Hollard and Jai Moondra dismantled India’s batting lineup, bowling them out for 148 with seven balls remaining.
Hollard was named Player of the Match after claiming three wickets for 28, removing Ishan Kishan, skipper Shreyas Iyer and Washington Sundar in his four overs. He finished the match with his hand strapped after dropping a tough caught-and-bowled chance off Axar Patel.
Moondra, born in India, bowled opener Sanju Samson with his very first delivery in international cricket and later caught and bowled Shivam Dube to finish with 2-25. He would have had a third wicket off his final delivery but Harshit Rana was dropped at long-on.
Earlier, Abhishek Sharma had given India a flying start, smashing seven fours and two sixes in a 19-ball half-century, but Liam McCarthy removed him in the eighth over and India never recovered.
Ireland captain Lorcan Tucker, who scored exactly 50, and Gareth Delany, who contributed 49, had set up the steep target that proved too much for the away team.
“I think we scraped through that game,” Tucker said at the post-match presentation.
“We had some tough periods in it but we stayed in it. And we were diligent, and we worked hard. And we were lucky to get the reward in the end,” he added.
