Images from the T20 World Cup match between India and Ireland at New York, NY
India's pace attack, spearheaded by the explosive Hardik Pandya, unleashed a dominant display to dismantle Ireland for a mere 96 runs in their opening match of the T20 World Cup. Playing on a lively pitch that offered significant assistance to the pacers, India wasted no time in exploiting the conditions.
Arshdeep Singh struck twice in his second over, dismissing both Irish openers and setting the tone for a ruthless bowling performance. The rest of the Indian pace attack joined the party, ripping through the Irish batting order. The score was quickly reduced to a precarious 50 for 8, with wickets falling at regular intervals.
A late fight-back from Delany and Little, who managed a 27-run partnership for the ninth wicket (the highest of the innings), offered a brief glimmer of hope for Ireland. However, Jasprit Bumrah put an end to their resistance, and a comical mix-up between the final pair sealed Ireland's fate at a paltry 96 all out.
While the total may seem manageable, the seaming pitch promises a challenging chase for the Indian batsmen. Pandya led the bowling attack with a superb 3-wicket haul for just 27 runs. Arshdeep and Bumrah provided excellent support, taking 2 wickets each for 35 and 6 runs respectively.
With a dominant bowling performance under their belt, India will now look to their batting line-up to secure a comfortable victory and kick-start their World Cup campaign on a winning note.
Brief scores: Ireland: 96 all out in 16 overs (Hardik Pandya 3/27, Arshdeep Singh 2/35, Jasprit Bumrah 2/6).