Ireland vs India 1st T20: Yuzvendra Chahal reveals wearing 3 sweaters in cold Dublin, ‘chilled’ atmosphere under Hardik Pandya

India's Yuzvendra Chahal celebrates during 1st T20 against Ireland in Dublin. (Source: Twitter)

Team India all-rounder Hardik Pandya began his Indian captaincy stint with a comprehensive win over Ireland in Dublin on Sunday (June 26) in cold, rainy and blustery conditions. In a rain-hit game, Team India chased down 109 to win in just 9 overs with skipper Pandya remaining unbeaten on 24 off 12 balls. Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal was adjudged the Player-of-the-match for claiming 1/11 in 3 overs as Ireland piled on 108/4 in 12 overs.

“It’s very difficult to bowl in the cold, I felt like a finger spinner. But I had to adapt. The atmosphere under Hardik (Pandya) is chill, he gave me freedom to execute my plans. I’m wearing three sweaters so am not comfortable,” Chahal revealed.

Yuzvendra Chahal is our Top Performer from the first innings for his bowling figures of 1/11 in 3 overs.

A look at his bowling summary here #TeamIndia #IREvIND @yuzi_chahal pic.twitter.com/0GClAtwb7b — BCCI (@BCCI) June 26, 2022

The IPL 2022 Purple Cap winner was supported by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who scalped 1/16 in 3 overs. “There was swing with the new ball, it got better after 5-6 overs. Thought it would get harder with the moisture but didn’t. It’s good to bowl Test match line and length, glad it worked out. Umran (Malik) and other youngsters from around the world have made their debut because of the IPL which is great. We get good support wherever we go,” Bhuvneshwar said.

Meanwhile, opening the innings, Deepak Hooda struck an unbeaten 47 to help India hammer 111 runs in 9.2 overs and romp to a seven-wicket win against Ireland in the rain-truncated first T20 International match in Dublin. Hardik Pandya had won the toss in Malahide on Sunday but persistent rain delayed the start of play and the game was reduced to 12-overs-per-side when the umpires finally found the conditions fit for play.

India came up with a clinical bowling display to restrict hosts Ireland to 108/4 in 12 overs after inviting them to bat first. Hooda, usually a middle-order batter in IPL, struck a 29-ball 47, hitting six boundaries and two sixes, while fellow-opener Ishan Kishan (26) and skipper Pandya (24) made vital contributions as India reached 111/3 in 9.2 overs, winning the match with 16 deliveries to spare.

The visitors had handed young tearaway Umran Malik his debut but things did not start well as he gave away 14 runs in the only over he bowled. But the rest of the bowlers did well, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/16) and Yuzvendra Chahal (1/11) comfortably the pick of the bowlers with their three overs apiece.

The Ireland innings was boosted by an outstanding knock by Harry Tector, who reached his half-century in the final over before smashing two further boundaries to finish on 64 not out from just 33 balls. Tector blasted six fours and three sixes during his 50-minute effort.

(with IANS inputs)