Ireland created history in Belfast on Friday as they beat reigning T20 world champions India by 34 runs in the opening match of the two-T20I series. The victory was Ireland’s first-ever T20I win over India and made the Men in Blue the eighth Test-playing nation to lose a match in the format against the hosts.

Leading Ireland for the first time as permanent T20I captain, Lorcan Tucker anchored the innings with a 36-ball 50 after his side had slipped to 51/4. Gareth Delany then smashed 49 off 32 balls to propel Ireland to 182/9.

India looked on course after Harshit Rana (3/24) and Arshdeep Singh (2/28) ripped through the top order, but Delany’s late assault and Prasidh Krishna’s expensive spell shifted the momentum.

Chasing 183, India were bowled out for 148 in 18.5 overs. Abhishek Sharma’s explosive 50 from 20 deliveries provided early hope, but Matt Hollard (3/28), Matthew Humphreys (3/38), and Jai Moondra (2/25) dismantled the batting order to complete a famous Irish triumph.

Iyer joins unwanted list

The defeat ensured Shreyas Iyer became only the fourth Indian captain to lose his first T20I in charge. Before Friday, only Virat Kohli against England in 2017, Rishabh Pant against South Africa in 2022, and Shubman Gill against Zimbabwe in 2024 had begun their captaincy tenures with defeats.

Overall, 11 of India’s 15 T20I captains have won their opening match as skipper, making Iyer’s start an unusual one. The defeat was also India’s first in a bilateral T20I series opener since Gill’s Zimbabwe loss two years ago.