Ireland edged India by one run in the second T20I of the two match series in Belfast. After being invited to bat first, Ireland posted 154/8 in 20 overs. Harry Tector played a superb knock of 53 off 47 balls and added a crucial 65-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Ben Calitz. Prince Yadav (3/22 in 4 overs) was the most successful bowler for India, while Shivam Dube and Arshdeep Singh picked up two wickets each.

Chasing 155, Jai Moondra (3/32 in 4 overs) gave India two early blows in the first over by dismissing Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. India slipped to 35/4 after 4.5 overs. Tilak Varma then held one end firmly while wickets kept falling at the other. Matthew Hollard (3/26 in 4 overs) delivered another double blow in the 18th over by dismissing Tilak Varma and Suryansh Shedge, reducing India to 121/8 after 17.5 overs. Tilak Varma top-scored with 55 off 46 balls.

Harshit Rana fought hard until the end, but his efforts were not enough. Prince Yadav hit a six off the final ball, but India fell short by one run.

Harry Tector Anchors Ireland with a Landmark Knock

Playing his 100th T20 International, Harry Tector walked in to bat during the second over after an early wicket. He began cautiously, with his first runs coming off an inside edge, before settling into his innings.

Tector paced his knock perfectly. Instead of taking unnecessary risks, he focused on rotating the strike and punished only the loose deliveries. He made full use of a free-hit full toss from Suryansh Shedge, smashing it for six after the Indian bowler leaked 22 runs in the over.

At the other end, Ben Calitz played a more attacking role. Together, the pair stitched a crucial 65-run partnership from just 44 deliveries. Their stand provided the platform for Ireland to post a competitive total of 154 runs.

Shivam Dube Brings India Back into the Contest

Just when Ireland appeared to be building a big total, Shivam Dube produced a brilliant spell by taking two wickets in consecutive deliveries. He first dismissed Ben Calitz, forcing him to hit towards the larger square boundary. Dube cleverly bowled wide outside off stump, making it difficult for the batter to generate enough power. Calitz eventually found the fielder at deep point.

On the very next ball, Gareth Delany was beaten by a wobble-seam delivery that jagged back sharply before crashing into the stumps. It was one of the finest deliveries of the series and briefly shifted the momentum back towards India.

Prince Impresses on His T20I Debut

Making his T20I debut after replacing Prasidh Krishna, Prince delivered an outstanding bowling performance. The young fast bowler claimed three wickets while conceding fewer than one run per ball. His success came through his ability to mix his lengths effectively. He troubled batters with both short deliveries into the pitch and accurate yorkers.

Captain entrusted him with the final over instead of the experienced Harshit Rana. Prince justified that faith by dismissing Harry Tector with a back-of-a-length delivery before removing Liam McCarthy with a slower ball.

His pace, variations and composure under pressure highlighted his immense potential. The performance also strengthened his case as a promising fast-bowling option for India's preparations towards the 2027 ODI World Cup.

'You have Boomrah! We have Moondra!'

One banner in the Belfast crowd perfectly captured the mood of the match. It read, "You have Boomrah! We have Moondra!" Jai Moondra lived up to the message immediately.

The left-arm pacer dismissed Sanju Samson with the very first ball of India's chase through a superb inswinger. Before completing his opening over, he also removed Abhishek Sharma. It became only the fourth occasion in T20 International history that both opening batters were dismissed for golden ducks.

Although India were chasing only 155, Moondra continued applying relentless pressure. He removed Shreyas Iyer after the batter dragged a wide delivery onto his own stumps, with the slow Belfast surface making stroke-making extremely difficult.

Moondra also played a major role in Ishan Kishan's run-out. Ross Adair produced a direct hit, leaving Kishan visibly frustrated as he walked back after exchanging words with Tilak Varma. India suddenly found themselves struggling at 35 for 4, and their confidence had completely disappeared.

Belfast Pitch Makes Batting Extremely Difficult

The conditions heavily favoured the bowlers throughout the chase. Between the fifth and thirteenth overs, India went 48 deliveries without hitting a single boundary from the bat. The Belfast surface remained slow and offered considerable assistance to seam bowlers. The thick grass allowed wobble-seam and scrambled-seam deliveries to grip and move unpredictably after pitching.

Tilak Varma and Axar Patel realised that aggressive batting was unlikely to succeed. Instead, they focused on rebuilding the innings and taking the chase deep. However, Matt Hollard broke the partnership by extracting extra bounce to dismiss Axar Patel. Shivam Dube then arrived but also struggled to score freely. Despite being known for clearing the boundary regularly, he managed only two runs.

Ireland Finish Strong to Seal Series Sweep

Ireland showed excellent tactical awareness during the closing stages of the innings. Despite the difficult left-hander versus left-arm spinner matchup, they trusted Matt Humphreys to bowl at the death. Humphreys cleverly denied Dube the opportunity to target the shorter straight boundary.

He deliberately bowled a delivery halfway down the pitch, forcing Dube to mistime his shot towards the longer square-leg boundary, where the catch was safely completed. The wicket effectively ended India's hopes.

Tilak Varma continued fighting and scored 55 from 46 balls, but he lacked support from the other end. He was dismissed seven balls later, bringing India's resistance to an end as Ireland completed a famous series victory.

Ireland's disciplined batting, outstanding pace bowling and smart tactical decisions helped them create one of the biggest upsets in recent T20 International cricket by ending India's remarkable unbeaten bilateral series run.

Brief Scorecard