The first T20I of the Indian tour of Ireland 2026 was a good one for Ireland as they managed to post a competitive score. It was played at the Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast on 26 June 2026. India, who won the toss, opted to bat first and Ireland got a solid 182/9 in 20 overs. Add valuable hits from Lorcan Tucker (50) and Gareth Delany (49) to the score. India, on the other hand, had an attack going and Abhishek Sharma blasted out 49 runs. But Ireland bowlers continued to reap the harvest of wickets at regular intervals and India were finally bowled out for 148 in the 18.5th over. Thus, Ireland won the game by 34 runs to lead the two-match series 1-0.
Ireland vs India 1st T20I Match Details
| Detail | Information |
| Match | Ireland vs India |
| Tournament | India Tour of Ireland 2026 |
| Match | 1st T20I |
| Venue | Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast |
| Date | 26 June 2026 |
| Toss | India won the toss and elected to field |
| Result | Ireland won by 34 runs |
| Ireland Score | 182/9 in 20 overs |
| India Score | 148 all out in 18.5 overs |
| Series Result | Ireland led the 2-match series 1-0 |
| Player of the Match | Matt Hollard |
| Match Number | T20I No. 3993 |
| T20I Debut | Jai Moondra, Matt Hollard |
| Umpires | Gareth Morrison, Roly Black |
| TV Umpire | Jonathan Kennedy |
| Reserve Umpire | Aidan Seaver |
| Match Referee | Dean Cosker |
Ireland vs India 1st T20I – Match Overview
India won the toss and opted to field first to take advantage of the early conditions in Belfast. But in the powerplay, Indian bowlers struck early for low scores followed by a potent rejuvenation in the middle order by the Irish with Lorcan Tucker and Gareth Delany. Delany was close to a half century with 49 off 32 balls while Tucker scored a big captain’s knock of 50 runs from 36 balls. They were a big factor in helping Ireland reach the 20 over mark of 182/9. India got a flying start to the chase with 50 off 20 balls as Abhishek Sharma scored 7 fours and 2 sixes. The Indians reached 50 in 3.4 overs only to get wickets in quick succession from Ireland. Matthew Humphreys and Matt Hollard each picked up three wickets, while Jai Moondra grabbed two. Shivam Dube was instrumental in the Indian late run-up and yet the Indian bowlers are bowled out for 148 in 18.5 overs. For Ireland it was a special 34-run victory.
Ireland National Cricket Team vs India National Cricket Team Scorecard
Ireland’s innings got off to a bad start. Ross Adair picked up a couple of quick runs but Tim Tector was caught for a duck and Harry Tector was given it out for one. It was a rained-off day for Ireland, which was left fighting for 30/3 until Lorcan Tucker and Gareth Delany got the ball rolling. Tucker slashed a five-four, two six to hit a well paced 50 in 36 balls. Delany was very helpful with 49 runs for 32 balls, three of which were fours and three sixes. Then, George Dockrell came in to score a quick 19 off 10 to help Ireland get another big lead in the final over. Ireland went on to score 182/9 from 20 overs and India were chasing 183.
Ireland Batting Performance
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate | Dismissal |
| Ross Adair | 12 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 171.42 | c Samson b Harshit Rana |
| Tim Tector | 17 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 141.66 | c Shreyas Iyer b Harshit Rana |
| Harry Tector | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | c Samson b Arshdeep Singh |
| Lorcan Tucker (C/WK) | 50 | 36 | 5 | 2 | 138.88 | c sub (Jaiswal) b Ravi Bishnoi |
| Ben Calitz | 15 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 136.36 | c & b Washington Sundar |
| Gareth Delany | 49 | 32 | 3 | 3 | 153.12 | c Shreyas Iyer b Arshdeep Singh |
| George Dockrell | 19 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 190 | run out (Abhishek Sharma) |
| Liam McCarthy | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 140 | c Tilak Varma b Harshit Rana |
| Matthew Humphreys | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 66.66 | run out (Samson) |
| Jai Moondra | 2* | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100 | not out |
| Extras | 9 | — | — | — | — | (lb 3, nb 1, w 5) |
| Total | 182/9 | 20 ov | — | — | RR: 9.10 |
Did Not Bat: Matt Hollard
India Bowling Performance
India Bowling Scorecard
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
| Arshdeep Singh | 4 | 28 | 2 | 7.00 |
| Harshit Rana | 4 | 24 | 3 | 6.00 |
| Prasidh Krishna | 4 | 57 | 0 | 14.25 |
| Shivam Dube | 3 | 18 | 1 | 6.00 |
| Axar Patel | 4 | 33 | 2 | 8.25 |
| Washington Sundar | 1 | 19 | 0 | 19.00 |
India 2nd Innings Scorecard
The target for India was 183 to prevail in the first T20I. In the initial burst, Abhishek Sharma scored 49 runs off 20 balls for an India strong start with a strike rate of 245.00.
But the tide swiftly turned as Ireland promptly got rid of Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer. India crossed the 100-run mark within stipulated 11.5 overs but still played out of the contest with wickets.
Tilak Varma scored 19 off 21 balls. Shivam Dube made 25 off 14 balls. However, Dube hit one four (not “one offside”) and two sixes before getting caught and bowled by Jai Moondra.
All this while, Ireland bowlers kept on the pressure and finally bowled India out for 148 runs in 18.5 overs.
India Batting Performance
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
| Abhishek Sharma | 49 | 20 | 7 | 2 | 245.00 |
| Sanju Samson (WK) | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 125.00 |
| Ishan Kishan | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 20.00 |
| Shreyas Iyer (C) | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 42.85 |
| Tilak Varma | 19 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 90.47 |
| Washington Sundar | 9 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 75.00 |
| Shivam Dube | 25 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 178.57 |
| Axar Patel | 15 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 93.75 |
| Harshit Rana | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 88.88 |
| Arshdeep Singh | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Prasidh Krishna | 1* | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Extras | 11 | — | — | — | — |
| Total | 148 | 18.5 overs | — | — | RR: 7.85 |
Ireland Bowling Performance
Ireland Bowling Scorecard
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
| Matthew Humphreys | 3.5 | 38 | 3 | 9.91 |
| Jai Moondra | 4 | 25 | 2 | 6.25 |
| Liam McCarthy | 3 | 29 | 1 | 9.66 |
| Matt Hollard | 4 | 28 | 3 | 9.91 |
| Harry Tector | 3 | 22 | 0 | 7.33 |
| Gareth Delany | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3.00 |
Match Analysis & Cricket Insights
- Ireland have scored 182/9 from their allotted 20 overs.
- India were bowled out for 148/18.5.
- Ireland scored 34 runs to win this game.
- Lorcan Tucker scored an important 50 off 36 balls.
- Gareth Delany scored 49 out of 32 deliveries.
- Abhishek Sharma (20) hit 49 runs for India.
- Shivam Dube was quick with his 25 off 14 balls.
- Harshit Rana had three wickets for India.
- Matthew Humphreys and Matt Hollard successfully picked up three wickets each to derail the chase.
- Ireland went 1-0 up in the two-game series.
- Matt Hollard was awarded Player of the Match.
Ireland National Cricket Team vs India National Cricket Team Match no 1 T20i 2026 – Squads
India Squad
| Player | Role |
| Abhishek Sharma | Opening Batter |
| Sanju Samson | Wicketkeeper Batter |
| Ishan Kishan | Wicketkeeper Batter |
| Shreyas Iyer (C) | Batter / Captain |
| Tilak Varma | Middle-Order Batter |
| Washington Sundar | All-rounder |
| Shivam Dube | Batting All-rounder |
| Axar Patel | All-rounder |
| Harshit Rana | Fast Bowler |
| Arshdeep Singh | Fast Bowler |
| Prasidh Krishna | Fast Bowler |
Ireland Squad
| Player | Role |
| Tim Tector | Opening Batter |
| Ross Adair | Opening Batter |
| Harry Tector | Batter |
| Lorcan Tucker (C/WK) | Wicketkeeper Batter / Captain |
| Ben Calitz | All-rounder |
| Gareth Delany | All-rounder |
| George Dockrell | All-rounder |
| Liam McCarthy | Bowling All-rounder |
| Matthew Humphreys | Spin Bowler |
| Jai Moondra | Bowler |
| Matt Hollard | Fast Bowler |
Ireland National Cricket Team vs India National Cricket Team Performance Insights
India
India showed great intent during the early part of the chase. However, the middle order was unable to sustain the momentum created by Abhishek Sharma’s explosive 49 at the outset. India’s biggest problem was losing wickets at regular intervals. After Abhishek Sharma departed, Ireland seized complete control of the chase and kept building immense pressure on the Indian batsmen.
Key Takeaways
- Explosive powerplay batting: India flew out of the gates early.
- Terrific start by Abhishek: Smashed 49 off 20 to set a base.
- Late support from Dube: Provided a brief, valuable 25 runs down the order.
- Wicket-taking pressure: Ireland’s bowling consistently broke partnerships.
- Inconsistent middle order: The central batting lineup failed to anchor.
- Post-powerplay slowdown: India struggled to rotate strike or find boundaries after over six.
Ireland
Ireland’s all-round performance was impressive. Their batting bounced back strongly after losing three early wickets, as Lorcan Tucker and Gareth Delany put together a rock-solid foundation for the innings. Their bowling was even more impressive; Ireland never let India put together a winning partnership and picked up wickets at regular intervals.
Key Takeaways
- Resilience from early blows: Rebuilt the innings seamlessly after falling to 30/3.
- Crucial middle-order partnership: Superb teamwork between Tucker (50) and Delany (49).
- Competitive target: Posted a match-winning total of 182/9 on the board.
- Relentless bowling pressure: Struck regularly to derail India’s run chase.
- Standout bowling stars: Matt Hollard and Matthew Humphreys were highly productive with three wickets each.
- Composure under fire: Ireland stayed incredibly calm under heavy pressure during India’s explosive powerplay.
Conclusion
The scorecard of the Ireland National Cricket Team vs India National Cricket Team in the 1st T20 international was a remarkable one for the hosts. Lorcan Tucker (50) and Gareth Delany (49) led Ireland to 182/9. India began their chase with great oomph with Abhishek Sharma, but the Ireland bowlers were taking wickets consistently and finally bowled out India for 148. Out of the bowlers, Ireland’s Matt Hollard and Matthew Humphreys were the outstanding performers while Harshit Rana was the top Indian bowler with 3 wickets. Ireland’s 34-run scoreline was a 1-0 lead into the series and a great start to their home season.
FAQ’S
In the first T20I, Ireland beat India by 34 runs.
Ireland scored 182/9 in 20 overs.
India lost the match with a score of 148 for 18.5 overs.
Matt Hollard picked up three wickets for 28 runs and was declared the Player of the Match.
Ireland’s top scorer was Lorcan Tucker who hit 50 runs off 36 balls.
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