T20 WC: Pandya, Rohit shine as India start off campaign with 8 wicket win over Ireland

NEW YORK  : A half-century by skipper Rohit Sharma, fine finishing by Rishabh Pant and scorching spells by Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah were the highlights as India started their ICC T20 World Cup campaign on winning note by thrashing Ireland by eight wickets at Nassau County Stadium in New York on Wednesday.

It was Pant’s bat that produced the winning shot.

In the run-chase of 97 runs, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli came to open. Rohit survived a dropped catch and a bowled dismissal. However, Virat could not cash on his luck on this tough surface as a top edge from his bat landed in the hands of Benjamin White, with Mark Adair getting the wicket. India was 22/1 in 2.4 overs.

Following his dismissal, Rohit and Rishabh Pant rebuild the innings, with some fine strokes.

At the end of six overs of the powerplay, India was 39/1, with Rohit (27*) and Pant (7*) unbeaten.

India reached the 50-run mark in 7.5 overs with the help of a boundary from Pant.

In the next over, Rohit smashed Joshua Little for two sixes over fine leg and deep square leg.

Rohit reached his 10th T20 WC half-century in just 36 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes. At the end of 10 overs, India was 76/1, with Rohit (52*) and Pant (18*) unbeaten. Rohit retired out because of a hit to his arm earlier and Suryakumar Yadav came out to bat.

Pant kept the chase going with a four and six. However, Suryakumar Yadav was dismissed for just two runs after being caught by George Dockrell for just two runs, with White getting his wicket. India was 91/2 in 11.4 overs.

India ended their run-chase successfully at a score of 97/2, with the winning six coming from the bat of Pant (36* in 26 balls, with three fours and two sixes).

Earlier, the Indian bowling attack’s aggressive performance restrict Ireland to 96 in the 8th match of the T20 World Cup 2024 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on Wednesday.

The Indian bowlers dominated the game from the very first ball of the match in the marquee event as they successfully bundled out the Irish side to 96.

Andrew Balbirnie (5 runs from 10 balls, 1 four) and Paul Stirling (2 runs from 6 balls) opened for Ireland but displayed a disappointing performance as they made an opening partnership of 7 runs. Arshdeep Singh was fiery in the third over as they broke the opening partnership in a single over. In the first ball, Arshdeep removed Stirling, while in the last ball of the over the pacer dismissed Balbirnie.

Irish wicketkeeper-batter Lorcan Tucker (10 runs from 13 balls, 2 fours) was removed by Hardik Pandya in the 7th over. After the third dismissal of the game, wickets kept on falling and by the 12th over Ireland lost five batters.

In the first six overs, Ireland could score only 26 runs. While India picked up two wickets in the first powerplay.

Gareth Delany (26 runs from 14 balls, 2 fours and 2 sixes) was the only standout batter for the Irish side as he was the highest run-getter among his teammates after he stood still infront of the Indian bowling attack.

Joshua Little (14 runs from 13 balls, 2 fours) and Curtis Campher (12 runs from 8 balls, one four and one six) were the other two batters who tried their best to add a few runs on the scoreboard.

Ireland crossed the 50-run mark in the first ball of the 12th, and that too came with a lot of effort as the batters struggled in front of the Indian bowlers.

The last wicket came in the last ball of the 16th over when Gareth Delany was run out by Mohammed Siraj and Rishabh Pant.

The Indian bowling attack ruled the first inning from the beginning of the game. Hardik Pandya bagged three wickets in his three-over spell. While Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah picked up two wickets each in their respective spells. Mohammed Siraj and Axar Patel also took one wicket each in their respective spells. Only Ravindra Jadeja failed to get a wicket after bowling in just one over.

Brief score: Ireland 96 (Gareth Delany 26, Joshua Little 14, Curtis Campher 12; Hardik Pandya 3/4) lose to India: 97/2 in 12.2 overs (Rohit Sharma 52, Rishabh Pant 36*, Mark Adair 1/27). (ANI)