Ireland Record Historic First T20I Win Over India With 34-Run Belfast Triumph

Ireland won by 34 runs against India in the 109th match of 135 in the T20 Internationals 2026 season at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast. This was a landmark result – Ireland’s first ever T20I victory over India in eight meetings, having previously lost all six completed fixtures against the world’s number one ranked side. Lorcan Tucker‘s 50 off 36 balls and Gareth Delany‘s explosive 49 off 32 powered the hosts from 30/3 to 182/9, before Ireland’s bowlers dismantled India for 148 in 18.5 overs.

Ireland Innings – 182/9 (20 overs)

India won the toss and elected to bowl, and it looked a smart decision inside the powerplay. Ross Adair (12 off 7, two fours) fell at 20/1 in the second over, Harry Tector (0 off 3) followed at 25/2 in over 2.6, and opener Tim Tector (17 off 12, two fours and a six) departed at 30/3 in over 3.4. Harshit Rana was the chief destroyer early on, finishing with outstanding figures of 3/24 from four overs at an economy of 6.00.

At 30/3 inside the powerplay, Ireland were in deep trouble. Benjamin Calitz (15 off 11, two sixes) showed some fight before falling at 51/4 in over 7.1. But from there, Tucker and Delany transformed the innings completely.

The pair put on 64 runs for the fifth wicket, taking the score from 51/4 to 115/5 with a combination of intelligent running and clean striking. Tucker hit five fours and two sixes in his 50 off 36 balls (SR 139) before departing in over 14.3. Delany continued the assault alongside George Dockrell (19 off 10, two fours and a six), with the pair adding 49 for the sixth wicket to push the score past 160.

Delany’s 49 off 32 – featuring three fours and three sixes at a strike rate of 153 – ended at 178/7 in over 18.6, just one short of a deserved half-century. Arshdeep Singh (2/28) and Axar Patel (2/33) chipped in with wickets, while Shivam Dube was tidy with 1/18 from three overs. Prasidh Krishna had a day to forget – 0/57 from four overs at an economy of 14.25.

India Innings – 148 all out (18.5 overs)

Abhishek Sharma launched India’s chase in devastating fashion, blasting 50 off just 20 balls with seven fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 250. Sanju Samson (5 off 4) was bowled early at 16/1, and wickets tumbled at the other end – Ishan Kishan (1 off 5) went at 45/2 and Shreyas Iyer (3 off 7) at 60/3 – but Abhishek battered the Irish bowling almost single-handedly.

His dismissal at 80/4 in over 7.6 changed everything. Once Abhishek departed, India’s chase fell apart. Tilak Varma (19 off 21, three fours) fell at 90/5, Washington Sundar (9 off 12) went at 100/6, and India were sinking fast against a disciplined Irish attack.

Shivam Dube (25 off 14, two sixes) briefly threatened a recovery, dragging India from 100/6 to 135/7, but his dismissal in over 15.6 ended any realistic hopes. Axar Patel (15 off 16) added some resistance before the tail was wrapped up, India bowled out for 148 in 18.5 overs – 34 runs short of the target.

Matt Hollard was excellent with 3/28 from four overs, while Matthew Humphreys took 3/38 from 3.5 overs. Jai Moondra contributed 2/26 at an economy of 6.50, and Delany added the icing with 1/3 from his single over to cap a superb all-round display.

Statz MVP – Harshit Rana (124.24)

Statz rates Harshit Rana as the match’s most impactful player with a rating of 124.24 – an outstanding score that calculates impact based on match context. Rana’s 3/24 from four overs was the most economical multi-wicket spell in the match, and he added 8 off 9 with a six in the chase. Despite ending up on the losing side, his combined contribution across both innings was the highest-impact performance of the day. The official Man of the Match was awarded to Matt Hollard (3/28) – Statz disagrees, rating Rana’s all-round impact significantly higher.

Top 5 Statz Ratings

1. Harshit Rana (IND) – 124.24 | 3/24 with the ball and 8 off 9 with the bat. Best bowling figures in the match despite being on the losing side.
2. Abhishek Sharma (IND) – 93.45 | 50 off 20 balls at a strike rate of 250, with seven fours and two sixes. A stunning innings that almost single-handedly kept India in the chase.
3. Shivam Dube (IND) – 88.75 | 25 off 14 with two sixes plus 1/18 from three overs. All-round contribution in a losing cause.
4. Gareth Delany (IRE) – 78.74 | 49 off 32 with three fours and three sixes, plus 1/3 from one over. The all-round performance that anchored Ireland’s victory.
5. Matt Hollard (IRE) – 75.61 | 3/28 from four overs. Crucial wickets that broke the back of India’s chase.

Turning Point

The dismissal of Abhishek Sharma at 80/4 in over 7.6 changed the entire complexion of the match. Sharma had smashed 50 off just 20 balls and looked capable of chasing down any total on his own. With him at the crease, India were well ahead of the required rate despite losing partners. Once he fell, India lost 6 wickets for just 68 runs and were bowled out with seven balls to spare. No other Indian batter managed more than 25.

Match Context

This was the 109th match of 135 in the T20 Internationals 2026 season. Ireland sit 12th in the ICC T20I rankings with a rating of 199 from 27 matches, while India are the world’s number one ranked T20I side with a rating of 275 from 52 matches. This result is a landmark moment for Irish cricket – their first ever T20I victory over India in eight meetings (previously 0-6 with one no result). India came into this match having won the 2026 T20 World Cup and their previous four completed T20Is. For Ireland, this adds to a growing run of confidence after their convincing 96-run win over Oman in February. For full scorecard details, visit the Statz scorecard page.