Jun 6, 2024
India captain Rohit Sharma allayed fears about an arm injury after making 52 before retiring hurt as his side thrashed Ireland by eight wickets in the teams' T20 World Cup opener in New York on Wednesday.
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India only required 97 to win after a dominant display by their bowling attack, with left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh striking twice in the third over to reduce Ireland to 9-2 after Rohit won the toss.
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All-rounder Hardik Pandya took two wickets in two balls on his way to 3-27 and Jasprit Bumrah, the player of the match, 2-6.
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Ireland, all out for just 96, needed to hold every chance to have any hope of a shock upset.
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But Rohit had made just two when, off the last ball of the first over of India's chase, he edged Mark Adair through the hands of Andrew Balbirnie at second slip.
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Adair dismissed Virat Kohli for just one, when the star batsman sliced to deep third man, but the damage had been done as India launched their bid to win a first major title since their 2013 Champions Trophy triumph with a commanding Group A victory.
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Rohit punished Ireland with a 37-ball innings, including four fours and three well-struck sixes as he shared a stand of 54 with Rishabh Pant.
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Rishabh Pant, returning to international cricket after a horror car crash in December 2022, finished on 36 not out and ended the match with a typically flamboyant reverse-scooped six off Barry McCarthy as India won with nearly eight overs left.
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Jasprit Bumrah was adjudged Player of the Match for figures 2-6.
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