At Stormont, Belfast, on Friday, June 26, Ireland created cricket history by beating India for the first time in international cricket, clinching a memorable 34-run victory in the opening T20I of India’s tour of Ireland 2026. It was a landmark result for Irish cricket, as the hosts had never managed to overcome India in any format before this contest.
For a side often tagged as underdogs, this was a statement win of the highest order. Batting first, Ireland posted a competitive 182/9, built around a calm 50 off 36 balls from captain Lorcan Tucker and a powerful 49 off 32 from Gareth Delany.
Their partnership and late acceleration gave Ireland the kind of total that immediately put pressure on India, who are the reigning T20 World Cup champions and are now being led by Shreyas Iyer in the new T20I cycle. India never fully settled into the chase and were eventually bowled out for 148 in 18.5 overs.
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Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan was among those left stunned by the result. Reacting on social media, he wrote: “Wow. Didn’t thought I will see this Scoreline of team India vs Ireland. Well Played Ireland.” His post summed up the surprise surrounding a result that few had expected before the first ball was bowled.
Wow. Didn’t thought I will see this Scoreline of team India vs Ireland.
Well Played Ireland.
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) June 26, 2026
Ireland’s debutants also played a major role in the famous win. Matt Hollard made an immediate impact in his first international outing, taking 3/28 in four overs and earning the Player of the Match award. Fellow debutant Jai Moondra also chipped in with the ball, helping Ireland control the middle overs and choke India’s momentum.
For India, Harshit Rana was the pick of the bowlers with 3/24, while Abhishek Sharma’s quickfire 50 off 20 balls was the only real highlight in the chase. But wickets kept falling at regular intervals, and the visitors could never build the partnerships needed to chase down the target.
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After the match, Lorcan Tucker called the victory special and credited the work done behind the scenes at Cricket Ireland. Shreyas Iyer, meanwhile, chose to focus on the positives and looked ahead to the second T20I, admitting India lost control in key phases but promising a stronger response in Belfast on Sunday, June 28.
