Ireland defeated India by a single run in the second T20I at Belfast on June 28, 2026, sealing their first ever bilateral series win over the T20 World Champions. Chasing 155, India fell to 153/9 despite Tilak Varma fighting 55, as Ireland bowlers held their nerve in a tense finish.
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| Ireland players celebrate after sealing a historic one run win over India in Belfast. |
Ireland produced one of the greatest results in their cricketing history, edging India by just one run in the series deciding second T20I at Belfast to complete a 2-0 sweep against the reigning T20 World Champions. It was Ireland first ever bilateral series win over India in any format.
Match Result: Ireland 154/8, India 153/9
Put in to field after losing the toss, India restricted Ireland to 154 for 8 in their 20 overs, with Harry Tector anchoring the innings with a patient half century. Chasing 155 for victory, India never recovered from an early batting collapse and finished on 153 for 9, handing Ireland the narrowest of wins and a famous series triumph.
How Ireland Built a Competitive Total
Tector Calitz Partnership Steadies the Innings
Ireland lost early ground after Harshit Rana removed Tim Tector and Arshdeep Singh accounted for Ross Adair, reducing the hosts to 21 for 2 inside three overs. Debutant Prince Yadav then claimed his maiden T20I wicket by dismissing Ireland captain Lorcan Tucker, leaving the innings in trouble.
From there, Harry Tector and Ben Calitz rebuilt the innings with a 65 run fourth wicket stand, dragging Ireland back into contention. Shivam Dube broke the partnership by dismissing Calitz before removing Gareth Delany with his very next delivery, triggering a mini collapse in the middle order.
Prince Yadav Impresses on International Debut
Despite the late wobble, Tector completed a well paced half century before falling in the final over, while Prince Yadav finished with impressive figures of 3 for 22 on his debut. Arshdeep Singh picked up two more wickets as Ireland were eventually held to 154 for 8 a total that looked gettable but proved anything but.
India Chase Falls Agonisingly Short
A Catastrophic Start
India pursuit of 155 unravelled almost immediately. Opener Sanju Samson was trapped lbw off the very first ball of the innings, and Abhishek Sharma followed without scoring soon after, both dismissals coming courtesy of debutant pacer Jai Moondra, who tore through the top order in the powerplay.
Tilak Varma Lone Hand
With the top order gone cheaply, the chase looked dead and buried. Tilak Varma fought a lone battle with a defiant 55, rebuilding the innings almost single handedly and keeping India hopes alive deep into the back end of the chase. It wasn't enough to offset the early damage, but it turned a one sided contest into a genuine thriller.
Final Over Heartbreak
The finish was as dramatic as it gets. Harshit Rana's late cameo of 21 off just 10 balls and a six from Prince Yadav off the final delivery brought the equation down to the wire, but India ultimately fell one run short, finishing on 153 for 9 from their 20 overs. Rana was eventually caught trying to find one more boundary, and Ireland fielders mobbed each other in the middle as the realisation of the achievement sank in.
Why This Series Win Is Historic for Ireland
This wasn't just a single upset it capped a remarkable week for Irish cricket. India had gone unbeaten across 16 consecutive bilateral T20I series before this tour, a run that Ireland 2-0 sweep ruthlessly snapped. The result also avenged years of one sided history between the two sides, since Ireland's win in the series opener had already ended eight previous defeats to India without a single victory in international cricket.
Coming straight off the back of India T20 World Cup triumph in March, the timing made the defeat sting even more. Few expected a side missing several first choice bowlers through injury to outplay a star studded Indian unit twice inside four days yet that's exactly what happened.
A Tough Start to Shreyas Iyer Captaincy
The series also marked a major changing of the guard for India. Shreyas Iyer took over full time T20I captaincy from Suryakumar Yadav ahead of the tour, and the transition could hardly have gone worse. Iyer own form deserted him, with scores of just 3 and 10 across the two matches, while his side suffered back to back batting collapses in both games.
Adding to the storyline, 15 year old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was left out of the playing XI in both matches despite being part of the squad a call that drew criticism from several former players and commentators, who felt the teenager white hot form deserved a chance on the big stage.
Player of the Match and Player of the Series: Jai Moondra
Ireland India born left arm seamer Jai Moondra was the standout performer of the decider, finishing with 3 for 32 to dismantle India top order for the second match running. He was named Player of the Match for his efforts and walked away with the Player of the Series award too, having picked up five wickets across the two games in a stunning international debut series.
What's Next for Both Teams
India will look to move past this stumble quickly they travel to England next for a five match T20I series beginning July 1, a tour that now carries extra significance as Iyer looks to steady his captaincy tenure. For Ireland, the focus shifts to building on this landmark result as they target a deeper run at the 2030 home T20 World Cup, with head coach Gary Wilson already speaking openly about the team ambitions following this breakthrough series.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Ireland ever beaten India in a bilateral series before?
No. Before this tour, Ireland had never won a bilateral series against India in any format, and had lost all eight of their previous T20I meetings with India before this series.
Who won Player of the Match and Player of the Series?
Jai Moondra of Ireland won both awards, finishing with 3/32 in the decider and five wickets across the two match series on his international debut.
What was the final score in the second T20I?
Ireland posted 154/8 in 20 overs, and India fell short at 153/9, with Ireland winning by one run.
Why did India lose the series despite being T20 World Champions?
India struggled to adapt to seaming conditions in Belfast, suffered repeated top order batting collapses in both matches, and were undone by inspired performances from Ireland two debutant bowlers, Jai Moondra and Prince sorry, Matt Hollard across the series.