Giant-killers: Tector, Moondra lead Ireland past India in clean sweep

53 off 47 balls in his 100th T20I Anchored Ireland after early wickets at 44/2, adding 50 in 35 balls with Ben Calitz (37)His “scratchy but vital” knock helped Ireland post a competitive 154/8.

Who: 24-year-old debutant, software engineer from Tonk, Rajasthan. Still holds Indian passport. Figures: 3/32 in 4 overs. Damage: Removed Sanju Samson (0) and Abhishek Sharma (0) for first-ball ducks in the 1st over, then bowled captain Shreyas Iyer (10)Impact: Left India 19/3 and “rattled” the chase early. Matt Hollard: 3/26, including the key wicket of Tilak Varma (55 off 46) in the 18th over.

Tector, playing his 100th T20I, was brought to the crease in the second over. His first runs were off the inside edge. The rest were both timely and thought out. He held the innings together for Ireland and in doing so highlighted just why he is a valued member of this side. Tector absorbed the pressure at one end, willing to countenance risk only when the odds were in his favour, like when Suryansh Shedge, in the middle of leaking 22 runs in a over bowled a free hit ball that was full toss. That went for six.

Ben Calitz, at the other end, was a little more willing to go for his shots. Their 65-run partnership, off 44 balls, formed the backbone of a total of 154. At that point, Cricinfo's forecaster only gave Ireland an 18% chance of victory.

Conditions: Nippy, blustery at Civil Service Cricket Club. Ball swinging, seaming, with spongy bounce. India’s collapse: 35/4 after 4.5 overs. 39/4 in Powerplay – only the 13th time India lost 4 wickets in PP in T20Is Varma’s fight: 55 off 46 kept India alive, but no support. IPL stars struggled on non-IPL pitches. Finish: India needed 8 off 2 balls. Harshit Rana (21 off 10) was caught off Tector’s bowling on the penultimate ball to seal it.

Picked in place of Prasidh Krishna, and making his T20I debut, Prince picked up three wickets and went for less than run a ball. He was able to do so because he had threat whether he went short and into the pitch or full and into the blockhole. His final two wickets came in the last over of the innings, which he was given ahead of the more established Harshit Rana.

One was back of a length to dismiss Tector. The other was a slower ball to topple Liam McCarthy. This varied skillset that he has, on top of the pace he can produce, might just have marked him out as a very real prospect for the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Ireland were brave to pair him up with a left-arm spinner in the death. Matt Humprheys knowing he was at the unfavorable end of the match-up did the only thing he could. He denied the short straight hit. A deliberate ball halfway down the pitch ended up in deep square leg's hands - the long boundary was used perfectly - and broke India's chase. Tilak fell seven balls later for 55 off 46 and soon that was that.

Bottom line: Debutant Moondra’s dream start + Tector’s milestone 100th game fifty powered Ireland past the T20 World Champions. India’s next assignment: 5 T20Is in England from July 1.