India captain Shreyas Iyer admitted his side paid the price for losing focus after the Men in Blue suffered a stunning 34-run defeat to Ireland in the opening T20I of the two-match series in Belfast. The reigning T20 World Cup champions failed to chase 183, getting bowled out for 148 in 18.5 overs as Ireland registered their first-ever T20I victory over India.

Ireland produced a complete team performance after recovering brilliantly from 51/4 to post 182/9, thanks to captain Lorcan Tucker’s composed half-century and Gareth Delany’s explosive 49. During the chase, Matthew Hollard and left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys starred with the ball, claiming three wickets each to derail India’s batting lineup.

Reflecting on the defeat, Iyer stressed that no international opponent can be taken lightly and said success at the highest level demands complete focus and intensity throughout the game.

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“You can’t take anything for granted. You can’t just turn up and expect to win matches. You’ve got to work hard, stay in the present and make the most of every opportunity. Whenever you get a chance to put the opposition under pressure, you have to grab it. You can never take any situation lightly,” Shreyas Iyer said after the match.

The India skipper also suggested that the team looked slightly rusty after a lengthy break following their successful T20 World Cup campaign. However, he insisted the players would quickly move on from the disappointing result and focus on bouncing back in the series decider.

“We’re going to forget what happened today. There are plenty of lessons to take from this game, and we’ll make sure we come back all guns blazing in the next match,” he added.

India’s chase began on a positive note, with Abhishek Sharma smashing a breathtaking 19-ball half-century to put the visitors in control. However, Liam McCarthy’s breakthrough triggered a dramatic collapse, exposing India’s middle order under pressure.

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Shreyas Iyer felt India were well placed early in the innings but admitted they lost control through poor execution during the middle overs. He also praised Ireland’s disciplined bowling attack for making the most of the conditions and restricting India well below the target. India will now head into the second and final T20I in Belfast needing a victory to level the series, while Ireland will be aiming to complete a memorable series triumph on home soil.