Ireland completed a landmark 2-0 T20I series sweep over India after securing a dramatic one-run victory in the second match in Belfast. It was Ireland’s first-ever bilateral T20I series win against India and a memorable triumph built on disciplined bowling, calm execution under pressure and a collective team effort.
India crumble before Tilak leads recovery
After opting to bat, Ireland posted 154/8 in 20 overs with valuable contributions throughout the batting order. India kept the hosts in check for most of the innings but could not stop them from adding crucial runs in the final overs.
India’s chase began on the worst possible note as Jai Moondra ripped through the top order. Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma fell in the opening over before captain Shreyas Iyer departed soon after, reducing India to 19/3. Ireland’s bowlers maintained tight lines and backed it up with sharp fielding to keep the pressure firmly on the visitors.
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Tilak Varma responded with a composed half-century, rebuilding the innings and taking the chase deep. He found useful support lower down the order, but India continued to lose wickets at regular intervals, making the target increasingly difficult to reach.
INDIA HAVE LOST A T20I SERIES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 1,050 DAYS. 🤯
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 28, 2026
- They won two T20 World Cups in between. pic.twitter.com/XoUWBDyohX
Ireland hold nerve to seal famous series win
The contest went down to the wire with India needing eight runs from the final two deliveries. Harshit Rana attempted to finish the game with a six but was caught in the deep, handing Ireland a thrilling one-run victory.
Jai Moondra once again starred with the ball, producing another outstanding spell to dismantle India’s top order. His performances across both matches earned him the Player of the Series award.
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The historic triumph marks one of the biggest moments in Irish cricket, showcasing the side’s rapid progress in the shortest format. For India, the defeat serves as an early setback under new captain Shreyas Iyer, with the batting collapse at the start of the chase proving too costly despite Tilak Varma’s determined resistance.
