IND vs IRE: India win rain-affected curtain-raiser by 2 runs on DLS method; Bumrah shines on return

Jasprit Bumrah’s Team India started their Ireland tour on a high after they got the better of the opposition by two runs in a rain-curtailed contest in Dublin on Friday, August 18. The two-run win on the DLS method sees India take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series as they can now push for a series win in the next match. Skipper Bumrah had a memorable return to the international circuit as he scalped two wickets in the very first over.

The two captains shake hands as the play is called off due to incessant rains.#TeamIndia win by 2 runs on DLS.

Scorecard - https://t.co/G3HhbHPCuI…… #IREvIND pic.twitter.com/2v5isktP08 — BCCI (@BCCI) August 18, 2023

India draw first blood

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Needing to chase 140 runs, India started brightly with Yashasvi Jaiswal (24) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (unbeaten 19) as they put an opening stand of 46 runs. Rain was always going to be a big factor in the contest as there was a yellow alert before the contest. India lost Jaiswal and Tilak Varma (0) in quick succession with rain coming down heavily. Interestingly, India were just two runs better than the par DLS score with the match eventually put to a halt in the same over.

After losing Jaiswal and Varma on the second and third ball respectively of the seventh over, the match was halted at 6.5 overs with India at 47/2. As a result, India were fortunate to have bagged the win as another loss of wicket would have handed Ireland the first blood.

What happened in Ireland’s innings?

Earlier, batting first Ireland had a miserable start as Bumrah struck twice in the first over to break the back of Ireland’s batting unit. The 29-year-old Bumrah justified his return to the squad as he got the better of Andrew Balbirnie on the second ball of the innings. Interestingly, the batter had scored a four on the first ball of the innings but was undone on the second ball as Bumrah castled him. The Indian skipper was not done yet as he then got the better of wicketkeeper Lorcan Tucker for a duck in the same over as India asserted their dominance in the contest.

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Ireland then lostmore wickets as debutant Prasidh Krishna and Ravi Bishnoi scalped two wickets each. Arshdeep Singh also got a wicket before the hosts mounted a mini-comeback.

Despite being 31/5, Ireland managed to score 139/7 in 20 overs as Barry McCarthy’s 51 off 33 and Curtis Campher’s 39 off 33 helped the team reach the triple-figure mark. Mark Adair also contributed 16 runs to the Ireland total.

The two sides will next meet on Sunday, August 20 as India could seal the series with a win while Ireland will hope to level at 1-1. The final contest of the series will be played on Wednesday, August 23.

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