India claimed a comfortable 76-run victory in the first game of two-match T20I series against Ireland at The Village, Malahide, Dublin on Wednesday.

Irish captain Garry Wilson decided to field first after winning the toss. With an excellent opening start, India managed to put 208/5 on the board at the end of 20 overs.

In reply, Ireland was restricted to 132/9 at the end of 20 overs. With this victory, India has taken a 0-1 lead in the two-match T20I series.

Brief Scores: India – 208/5 in 20 overs (Rohit Sharma 97, Shikhar Dhawan 74; Peter Chase 4/35)

Ireland – 132/9 in 20 overs (James Shannon 60, Stuart Thompson 12; Kuldeep Yadav 4/21)

Result – India won by 76 runs

Here are some of the statistical highlights of the match:

i) Indian opening batsmen Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan put a 160-run partnership for the opening wicket.

• India’s second highest T20I partnership for any wicket. The record is a 165-run opening partnership between KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma against Sri Lanka at Indore on December 22, 2017.

ii) Indian opening batsman Rohit Sharma scored 97 runs.

• Highest T20I knock by any batsman against Ireland. The previous one was 90 by Najeeb Tarakai (Afghanistan) at Greater Noida on March 10, 2017.
• The second Indian batsman to be dismissed in nervous nineties in T20I history. Shikhar Dhawan was the first man who had been dismissed on 90 runs against Sri Lanka at Colombo (RPS) on March 6, 2018.

iii) Indian skipper Virat Kohli was dismissed for a duck.

• Third time when an Indian captain has been dismissed for a duck in T20I cricket. Virat Kohli was the first Indian captain to score a T20I duck (against Australia at Guwahati on October 10, 2017) while Rohit Sharma was the second Indian captain to score a T20I duck (against Sri Lanka at Colombo, RPS on March 6, 2018).
• 11th Indian batsman to score more than one ducks in the T20I career. It was Kohli’s second duck in T20I career and both as a skipper.

iv) India scored 208/5 in 20 overs.

• Third highest T20I total for Indian cricket team at batting first.

India’s top T20I totals at first batting

v) Ireland lost this game by 76 runs.

• The second largest T20I defeat (by runs) for Ireland. The record is losing by 83 runs against New Zealand at Nottingham on June 11, 2009.