New York, June 5 (UNI) In a spectacular display of fast bowling, India’s bowlers, spearheaded by Hardik Pandya's impressive 3/27, tore through the Irish batting lineup, bundling them out for a mere 96 runs in just 16 overs during the 8th match of the T20 World Cup on Wednesday.
Arshdeep Singh set the stage for India’s dominance early on, striking twice in his second over to send both Irish openers - Andrew Balbirnie (5) and Paul String (2) back to the pavilion. His early breakthroughs ignited a collapse, as Ireland found themselves struggling at 50 for 8 under the relentless attack of India's pace battery.
Amid the turmoil, Ireland’s Gareth Delany (26 off 14 balls) and Joshua Little (14 off 13 balls) offered a glimmer of hope with a resilient 27-run partnership for the ninth wicket, the highest of their innings. However, Jasprit Bumrah dismantled this stand, and a miscommunication between Ireland’s last pair eventually sealed their fate at 96 runs.
While 96 is far from a daunting total, the pitch has proven to be a challenging one for batsmen, raising the stakes for the Indian chase. The performance of India’s batsmen on this tricky surface will be critical, especially with the highly anticipated India-Pakistan showdown looming.
This match not only underscores the prowess of India's fast bowlers but also sets the stage for a thrilling contest as fans eagerly await to see how the Indian team will navigate the challenging pitch conditions.
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