Ireland seal historic win over India

IRELAND took down the T20 World Champions for the second time in three days yesterday, capping the greatest weekend in the long history of the sport here.

With the women’s team breaking their duck  at the T20 World Cup by beating West Indies in Bristol on Saturday, it was back to Lorcan Tucker’s side to
complete a glorious triple crown in Belfast.

And that they did in such a thrilling way, beating India by a single run after a crazy last over, only capped a memorable display.

India needed to score 20 off the last six balls, but a miscalculation by the captain meant it was part-time spinner Harry Tector who had to deliver them.

He began with a wide, and a no ball further shredded the nerves of the 4,500 spectators.

The free hit was undercut for four, leaving India 11 to score to win off four balls.

Another wide and a couple of singles tightened the noose on the world champions as the Irish fielders strained every muscle to keep the score down.

With eight needed off two balls, Harshit Rana launched the ball straight but his effort fell a couple of metres short and Tim Tector held it at long-off to ensure a famous win.

There was still time for No11 debutant Prince Yadav to come in and smash his only ball for six, but that just narrowed the
margin of Irish victory.

India had won the toss and again asked Ireland to bat on the same pitch as used on Friday.  Scoring was tricky, with Harry Tector struggling to find fluency, but making an important 50 on his 100th T20i cap.

However, Ross Adair, Ben  Calitz and George Dockrell all found their range and made vital contributions. As did rookies Matt Hollard, Liam McCarthy and Jai Moondra with the ball.

The latter set the tone in the first three balls of the innings.

On Friday he dismissed Sanju Samsom – World Cup player of the tournament – with his first ball in international cricket. Yesterday, he trapped Samson lbw off the first ball of the innings. He took out Abishek Sharma two balls later, before later adding captain Sheyas Iyer to his collection of scalps.

It could be quite a struggle for Cricket Ireland to hang on to the man from Tonk in Rajasthan.

Moondra recently lost his job in Intel but may soon find his LinkedIn page full of messages à la Pico Lopes.

It was the fourth time Ireland have won a match by a one-run margin, although the Dutch (twice) and Scots were not quite as exalted as these opponents. Lest anyone forget, these are the back-to-back world champions, last seen collecting the trophy by beating New Zealand by 96 runs just three months ago. They have won their last 16 series in succession, and have never lost to Ireland in any sort of cricket.

And, yet, going against all formlines and predictions they were beaten 2-0 by this Irish side shorn of five of its best players and with a brand new, albeit inspirational, captain.

Former Ireland legend Isobel Joyce, who criss-crossed the Irish Sea to commentate on all three wins summed it up: ‘A victory to savour, a weekend to remember.’

And never forget.