28 June,2018 10:50 AM IST | Dublin | PTI
India opener Rohit Sharma in full flow during the first Twenty20 International against Ireland in Dublin yesterday. Pic/AFP
India set themselves up nicely for the sterner tests ahead with a dominant performance as they outclassed Ireland by a whopping 76 runs in the opening T20 International, here yesterday. Dubbed as dress rehearsal for the marquee England series, the formidable Indian team outbatted the opposition scoring an imposing 208-5, courtesy openers Rohit Sharma (97 off 61 balls) and Shikhar Dhawan (74 off 45 balls).
In reply, Ireland could only manage 132-9 in 20 overs despite a breezy innings of 60 off 35 balls by opener James Shannon. Irish batsmen didn't have a clue how to play chinaman Kuldeep Yadav (4-21 in four overs). His partner in crime Yuzvendra Chahal was hit for four sixes but eventually ended with improved figures of 3-38 in his four over spell. As Kuldeep-Chahal ran through the top and middle-order, the rest of the batsmen were incapable of making a match of it. Such was their plight that save Shannon, none of the other home team batsman scored above 15.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0-16 in four overs) and Jasprit Bumrah (2-19 in four overs) were as usual steady at the start and effective at the death. However a lot of credit should once again go to Rohit, who missed out on a well-deserved third T20 international century. The opening pair put on 160 in 16 overs to set the foundation. Young right-arm medium pacer Peter Chase finished with career-best figures of 4-35.
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