2nd T20 International: India 185-5 (20 ovs) (R Gaikwad 58S Samson 40, R Singh 38; B McCarthy 2-36) beat Ireland 152-8 (20 ovs) (A Balbirnie 72, M Adair 23; J Bumrah 2-15, P Krishna 2-29, R Bishnoi 2-37) won by 33 runs.
The improved weather did not improve Ireland’s fortunes as a second defeat in three days to India, this time by a margin of 33 runs, ensured the visitors took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series with Wednesday’s final clash at Malahide still to come.
Ireland’s continuing ploy to play five frontline bowlers at the expense of an extra batter threatened to be a winning one for the first 18 overs of this contest. Shorter bowling tactics from the likes of Barry McCarthy and Craig Young restricted India to just 143 for four at that point, but a disastrous final 12 deliveries, costing 42 runs from the hands of McCarthy and Mark Adair gave the visitors momentum which they never relinquished, not to mention a winning score of 185 for six.
Rinku Singh, in his first international innings, and Shivam Dube did much of the damage, punishing Ireland’s death bowling brutally whenever attempted yorkers were missed. The passage of play undid the promise of a good start when McCarthy and Young bounced out Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma respectively, before Ben White knocked over Sanju Samson.
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Ruturaj Gaikwad countered with 58, a new high in his young T20I career, picking up just enough timely boundaries to keep India’s run rate on the higher side despite wickets at the other end.
In response, Ireland lost the dreaded figure of three wickets in the powerplay as India copped on to and, crucially, copied Ireland’s short ball tactics, Paul Stirling and Lorcan Tucker both departing thanks to mistimed pull shots. A tempting over of spin in the powerplay from Ravi Bishnoi saw Harry Tector also dismissed after being castled by another googly from India’s leg-spinner.
When Andrew Balbirnie is on song, his array of sweeps and pulls over mid-wicket can be something to behold. Ireland needed them to be and they duly were, his innings of 72 off 51 threatening to drag his side back into the game. Those notions were ended in the 16th when, one ball after depositing Arshdeep Singh into the stands, an outside edge through to wicketkeeper Samson ended Balbirnie’s innings and with it Ireland’s hopes of victory.
There was still time for Adair to launch his now customary series of blows, but with George Dockrell already run out, the required power at the back end was lacking. Once again, the balance of Ireland’s side, sacrificing a batter for an extra bowler, came up short.
