DUBLIN: Ruturaj Gaikwad’s fifty followed by fiery batting in the end by Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube, provided India with a total of 185/5 in the second game of the three-match T20I series against Ireland in Dublin on Sunday.
Ruturaj scored 58 off 43 balls with the supporting knock of Sanju Samson of 40 runs. Rinku and Shivam collected quick runs for India, scoring 38 and 22 respectively.
Put to bat first, Indian openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad started off well as they utilized the second over, and collected 16 runs in Josh Little’s bowling.
India then lost two wickets in quick succession. Young cleared up Jaiswal at 18 off 11 balls when Curtis Campher caught him in a failed pull shot. In the next over, Curtis Campher got the breakthrough of Tilak Varma who scored just one run. He continued to disappoint with his bat in Ireland.
After the powerplay, India were 47/2 where Gaikwad and Sanju Samson took the responsibility to move the scoreboard. India brought their 50-run mark in 6.4 overs.
Gaikwad and Samson added 50 runs partnership in 36 balls for the 3rd wicket.
Samson attacked Little’s 11th over to make it big, he collected 18 runs by hitting three fours and one six.
India reached the 100-run mark in 11.1 over, however, Ireland got success in breaking the partnership of Gaikwad and Samson in the 13th over. White bowled a wide delivery which Samson tried to drag but the ball hit the stumps.
Gaikwad brought his fifty in style by hitting the boundary in White’s ball in the 15th over. But Gaikwad did not capitalize as after his half-century, he went back to the pavilion in 15.1 overs. He scored 58 off 43 balls.
Rinku Singh utilized the penultimate over by hitting two sixes and one four. India collected 19 runs in the last ball.
Following the path of Rinku, Shivam Dube also hit two consecutive sixes before giving the strike to Rinku in the last over. Rinku hit a pull hot for a stunning six, but got out in the nest ball at 38. India gave a target of 186/5 in 20 overs to Ireland.
Brief score: India 185/5 (Ruturaj Gaikwad 58, Sanju Samson 40, Barry McCarthy 2-36) vs Ireland. (ANI)