Ireland secured a memorable one-run victory over India in the second T20 International at Stormont, completing a historic series win over the reigning world champions.
The victory gave Ireland their first-ever T20 series triumph against India and handed the visitors their first bilateral T20 series defeat since 2023.
Having already claimed a convincing 34-run win in the opening match, Ireland held their nerve in the series finale, with Jai Moondra and Matthew Hollard starring with three wickets each to help defend a modest total.
India required eight runs from the final two deliveries, but Harshit Rana was caught by Tim Tector off the bowling of Harry Tector on the penultimate ball, sealing Ireland’s dramatic victory.
Ireland Enjoy Historic Weekend
The series win capped an extraordinary weekend for Irish cricket.
On Friday, Ireland defeated India for the first time in any international format after losing their previous 12 meetings. It also marked their maiden T20 victory over India.
Just a day later, Ireland’s women’s team celebrated another milestone by registering their first-ever victory at the Women’s T20 World Cup in England.
The men’s team then added another historic achievement by winning the T20 series against one of the strongest teams in world cricket.
Harry Tector Anchors Ireland’s Innings
In front of a sold-out crowd of approximately 4,000 spectators at Stormont, Ireland chose to bat first and posted 154 for 8.
Playing his 100th international match, Harry Tector led the innings with a composed 53-run knock, helping the hosts recover after regular wickets.
India’s bowlers kept Ireland from posting a bigger total, but the target proved challenging after the visitors suffered an early collapse.
Jai Moondra Sparks India’s Collapse
Ireland’s breakthrough came immediately as debutant spinner Jai Moondra trapped Sanju Samson lbw with the very first delivery of India’s innings.
Moondra, who made his international debut only two days earlier, continued his impressive spell by dismissing Abhishek Sharma and captain Shreyas Iyer, reducing India to 19 for 3.
Born in India before relocating to Dublin in 2021 for higher education, Moondra emerged as one of the standout performers of the series.
India’s struggles deepened with the dismissals of Ishan Kishan and Axar Patel, leaving the visitors under immense pressure.
Tilak Varma Fights Back
Despite the early setbacks, Tilak Varma kept India’s hopes alive with a determined innings.
A rain interruption delayed play for around 35 minutes, leaving India needing to accelerate rapidly after the restart.
Tilak briefly shifted the momentum by hitting Matthew Hollard for a six at the start of the 17th over. However, Hollard struck back immediately as Liam McCarthy completed a catch to dismiss the left-hander, leaving India at 117 for 7.
Harshit Rana launched a spirited late assault, taking the chase into the final over and giving India a chance of an unlikely victory.
Needing eight runs from the final two deliveries, India’s hopes ended when Rana was caught by Tim Tector off Harry Tector, handing Ireland a thrilling one-run win.
New Faces Shine Despite Injury Concerns
Ireland’s success came despite the absence of several experienced players, including Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, and Josh Little, all sidelined through injury.
The injuries opened the door for newcomers Jai Moondra and Matthew Hollard, who made an immediate impact by claiming three wickets each in the deciding match.
Their performances played a crucial role in restricting India’s batting lineup and securing one of the greatest victories in Irish cricket history.
Having defeated the world’s top-ranked T20 side twice in the same weekend, Ireland’s series triumph now ranks among the country’s finest achievements in international cricket.
