Ireland scripted another historic triumph by defeating India by just one run in the second and final T20I in Belfast, completing a stunning 2-0 series sweep over the reigning T20 world champions. The victory marked Ireland’s first-ever T20 series win over India and one of the biggest achievements in Irish cricket history.
Batting first, Ireland posted a competitive total of 154/8 in their 20 overs. Harry Tector anchored the innings with a brilliant 53, while Ben Calitz chipped in with 37 runs. For India, debutant Prince Yadav impressed with the ball, claiming three wickets, while Arshdeep Singh picked up two.
Chasing 155, India suffered a disastrous start as left-arm pacer Jai Moondra ripped through the top order. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson departed without scoring, while captain Shreyas Iyer managed only 10 runs as India slumped to 19/3 inside three overs. Moondra eventually finished with three wickets and was later named Player of the Series for his impressive performances throughout the series.
Despite the early collapse, Tilak Varma staged a valiant fightback with a superb half-century, keeping India’s hopes alive deep into the chase. However, regular wickets at crucial intervals derailed India’s recovery, and the visitors eventually fell agonisingly short, handing Ireland a memorable one-run victory.
The back-to-back defeats marked India’s first T20 series loss since 2023 and raised serious questions about the team’s batting approach and execution. Speaking after the match, captain Shreyas Iyer acknowledged that India could not afford to take any opposition lightly and credited Ireland for their outstanding performance throughout the series.
