India-Ireland T20I called off due to rain, Men in Blue clinches series 2-0

India has captured the series 2-0. The rain was such that both teams could not even get the opportunity to toss the coin and decide who would bat or bowl first.

Dublin: The third T20I between India and Ireland scheduled for Wednesday at Dublin was called off due to rain without a ball being bowled.

With this, India has captured the series 2-0. The rain was such that both teams could not even get the opportunity to toss the coin and decide who would bat or bowl first.

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In the first T20I, India won by two runs as per Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method. India had reduced the home side to just 139/7 in 20 overs after opting to bowl first. After being reduced to 59/6, fighting knocks from Barry McCarthy (51* in 33 balls with four boundaries and four sixes) and Curtis Campher (39 in 33 balls with three fours and a six) took Ireland to a modest total. Skipper Jasprit Bumrah, making his comeback from injury was the best part of India’s bowling, taking 2/24 in his four overs. T20I debutant Prasidh Krishna (2/32) and Ravi Bishnoi (2/23) also took two wickets. Arshdeep Singh got one wicket.

In the chase of 140, India was 47/2 in 6.5 overs when rain forced the action to finish prematurely. Yashasvi Jaiswal (24), Ruturaj Gaikwad (19*) had done the majority of batting for India, with Tilak Varma out for a golden duck and Sanju Samson unbeaten at one run.

Bumrah was adjudged as the ‘Player of the Match’. In the second T20I, India put on 185/5 in 20 overs after being put to bat first. Openers Jaiswal (19) and Ruturaj got India to a solid start, but Jaiswal and Tilak (1) quick wickets reduced India to 34/2. Then it was Sanju Samson (40 in 26 balls with five fours and a six) and Ruturaj rebuilt the innings. Ruturaj brought up his second T20I fifty, scoring 58 in 43 balls with six fours and a six when he was dismissed. India was at 129/4 in 15.1 overs at that point. Then international debutant Rinku Singh (38 in 21 balls, with two fours and three sixes) and Shivam Dube (22* in 16 balls with two sixes) put on some solid finishing touches to take India to a solid total.

McCarthy (2/36) was the leading wicket-taker for Ireland, while Mark Adair, Craig Young and Benjamin White took a wicket each. In the chase of 186, Ireland sunk to 63/4 in their first 10 overs, but Andy Balbirnie (72 in 51 balls with five fours and four sixes) and George Dockrell (13) stitched a 52-run stand to help the Irish side cross the 100-run mark.

Later, Adair also contributed a decent 23 off 15 balls, but it was not enough as Ireland could make only 152/8 in their 20 overs. Bumrah (2/15), Prasidh (2/29) and Bishnoi (2/37) once again led the Indian bowling from the front. Arshdeep got a wicket. Rinku was given the ‘Player of the Match’ honour.