India's new T20 skipper Shreyas Iyer endured a tough start to his captaincy as Ireland registered a comfortable victory in the opening match in Belfast.
Opening batter Abhishek Sharma's 19-ball fifty went in vain as double world champions India were beaten by Ireland for the first time in international cricket, slumping to a 34-run defeat in the first T20.
India were handed a target of 183 and even though Abhishek gave the tourists a great start, Ireland always held the upper hand.
Abhishek hit seven fours and two sixes before being dismissed by Irish fast bowler Liam McCarthy for 50 in the eighth over.
His dismissal led to a flurry of wickets as India's middle-order collapsed. Pacer Matt Hollard, playing his first T20, picked up three wickets, including that of Ishan Kishan, captain Shreyas Iyer and all-rounder Washington Sundar.
Fellow Ireland debutant Jai Moondra got two wickets in his four overs and broke a 35-run partnership between Shivam Dube and Axar Patel, as India were bundled out for 148 in 18.5 overs.
After the defeat, captain Iyer admitted the team let the advantage slip after reducing Ireland to 30-3.
“Initially, the bowlers were bowling venom. But in between we lost the execution and let them hit us straight down the ground, where the boundaries are smaller,” Iyer said.
“You can't take anything for granted. You have to turn up and work hard and stay in the present and if you have the opportunity to squeeze the opponent, you have to do that.”
The result dampened the mood of Indian fans who were hoping to witness the debut of teen batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
The 15-year-old opening batter was widely expected to make his international bow, with Ireland cricket officials even putting up additional seats in anticipation of his much-awaited debut.
However, the Indian team decided to back the core group that had lifted the world T20 at home earlier in the year.
Sooryavanshi will have the spotlight on him for the tour of Ireland and England. He forced selectors to pick him after a record IPL season where he topped the scoring charts with 776 runs in 16 matches, while also breaking Chris Gayle's record for most sixes in a season.
However, the young batter and the Indian team face a peculiar issue. Sooryavanshi is not old enough to share a dressing room with his older teammates due to safeguarding laws in Ireland and England.
Safeguarding protocols mandated by global cricket body ICC and the United Kingdom, enforced by the England and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket Ireland, prohibit players under 16 from using adult dressing rooms.
Sooryavanshi will use separate dressing room during the two-match series in Ireland and the subsequent five T20s against England.
