India pacer Harshit Rana made a strong comeback to international cricket, claiming three wickets for 27 runs in his four overs as Ireland posted a competitive total of 166 for 8 in the first T20I at The Village in Dublin on Saturday.
Rana leads Indian bowling effort
Rana, who had been sidelined due to injury, returned to the side and immediately made an impact. He struck early, removing Irish opener Paul Stirling for 12, and later returned to dismiss Lorcan Tucker (28) and Mark Adair (10). His spell of 3/27 was the standout performance for India, who otherwise struggled to contain the Irish batsmen.
Ireland captain Andrew Balbirnie top-scored with a fluent 45 off 34 balls, including five fours and two sixes. He was well supported by Harry Tector, who made 38 off 29 balls, and Curtis Campher, who smashed a quickfire 27 off 15 deliveries. The hosts looked set for a larger total before some tight bowling in the death overs restricted them.
India's fielding lapses
India's fielding was far from sharp, with two dropped catches and a few misfields that cost them extra runs. Rana, however, remained unfazed and credited the team's preparation for his performance. "I was just focusing on my lines and lengths. The wicket was good for batting, but I tried to use the bounce and seam movement. It feels great to contribute to the team's cause," Rana said after his spell.
India captain Hardik Pandya used six bowlers in the innings, with Rana being the most successful. Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, and Axar Patel each picked one wicket, while the other bowlers went for runs.
Ireland's promising start
Ireland began their innings cautiously, with Balbirnie and Stirling adding 32 runs for the first wicket before Rana struck. Balbirnie then took charge, hitting boundaries at regular intervals. Tector and Campher also played aggressive cricket, taking the attack to the Indian bowlers. However, the middle-order collapse, triggered by Rana's second spell, saw Ireland lose four wickets for 38 runs in the final five overs.
"We wanted to get to around 170, and we are happy with that total. The wicket is good for batting, and our bowlers will look to defend it," Balbirnie said at the innings break.
India's chase
India now need 167 runs to win the first match of the three-T20I series. The visitors have a strong batting lineup, including the likes of Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya. The pitch is expected to remain good for batting, but Ireland's spinners could pose a challenge.
The match is part of India's preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup, and the team management will be keen to see a clinical performance from the batters. Rana's impressive return has given the bowling attack a boost, and India will hope to continue their winning momentum.
