Belfast, June 28 (IANS) India will have little time to dwell on their shock defeat in the series opener as they return to the Civil Service Cricket Club on Sunday for a must-win second and final T20I against a confident Ireland side eager to script another piece of history.

The reigning T20 World Cup champions were outplayed in all three departments of the game on Friday as Ireland recovered from 36/3 to post 182/9 before dismissing India for 148 to register their first-ever T20I victory over the Men in Blue. The result not only handed Ireland a 1-0 lead in the two-match series but also put them one win away from what would arguably be the biggest bilateral T20I series triumph in their history.

For India, Sunday’s contest is about far more than levelling the series. It is an opportunity to respond after a performance that exposed flaws in both planning and execution.

The visitors made the perfect start with the ball in the opening match, reducing Ireland to 36/3 inside the Power-play through disciplined spells from Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh. However, the momentum slipped away in the middle overs as Lorcan Tucker and Gareth Delany rebuilt the innings before George Dockrell’s late assault helped Ireland finish with a daunting 182.

Iyer, who was captaining the side for the first time in T20Is, admitted after the match that India lost execution during the middle phase, allowing Ireland to attack straight down the ground on a venue where the boundaries are comparatively shorter. He also stressed that the team would “forget what’s happened” and return “all guns blazing” in the series finale. That statement now needs to be backed by action.

India’s bowling plans, particularly in the death overs, are expected to come under scrutiny. Despite Harshit Rana finishing with impressive figures of 3/24, Ireland plundered 66 runs in the final five overs after capitalising on a few tactical errors. Better management of bowling resources and improved execution at the death will be key if India are to prevent another late-innings surge.

The batting unit also has significant questions to answer. Abhishek Sharma’s explosive 50 off just 20 deliveries briefly put India on course during the chase, but the innings unravelled once he departed. Captain Shreyas Iyer managed only three runs, while Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel all failed to convert their starts. Apart from Shivam Dube’s brisk cameo, the middle order struggled to build partnerships or keep pace with the required run rate.

With the series on the line, the Indian think tank could consider changes to the playing XI. Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is among the players waiting for an opportunity and could come into contention if the management opts to freshen up the batting order after the disappointing display in the opener.

Ireland, meanwhile, will enter the decider brimming with confidence. Having finally broken their T20I victory drought against India after eight successive defeats, Lorcan Tucker’s men now have the chance to achieve something even more significant: a series victory over the world champions on home soil.

Captain Tucker led from the front with a composed half-century in the first match, while Gareth Delany narrowly missed out on a fifty. More importantly for the hosts, debutants Matt Hollard and Jai Moondra repaid the team’s faith with outstanding performances. Hollard was named Player of the Match after claiming three wickets, while Moondra’s disciplined spell and two wickets highlighted Ireland’s growing bowling depth.

Although Ireland holds the psychological advantage, they will be aware that India possesses enough quality to mount a strong comeback. The visitors have often responded positively after defeats, and Shreyas Iyer’s side will be determined to avoid an uncommon bilateral series loss.

With Ireland chasing another historic milestone and India desperate to restore their reputation, the stage is set for a compelling finale in Belfast.

When: Sunday, June 28, 6:00 PM IST

Where: Civil Service Cricket Club, Belfast

Where to Watch: Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD and Sony Sports Ten 5 SD & HD on TV. SonyLiv will live-stream the match on its website and app.

Squads:

India: Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Ravi Bishnoi, Abhishek Sharma, Suryansh Shedge, Prasidh Krishna, Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Ishan Kishan, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Shivam Dube, Prince Yadav, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Ireland: Lorcan Tucker (c), Ross Adair, Ben Calitz, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Matthew Humphreys, Gavin Hoey, Matthew Hollard, Liam McCarthy, Jai Moondra, Harry Tector, Tim Tector, and Reuben Wilson

–IANS

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