Ireland skipper Balbirnie praises Tector for ‘outstanding’ performance in 1st T20I against India

Dublin [Ireland], June 27 (ANI): Despite facing a crushing defeat in the first T20I against India, Ireland skipper Andrew Balbirnie praised batter Harry Tector for his ‘outstanding’ knock.
Blistering knocks by Deepak Hooda and skipper Hardik Pandya guided Team India to a lavishing win over Ireland, in a rain-curtailed first T20I of the two-match series, here at Malahide Cricket Club Ground on Sunday.
Earlier in the first innings, Harry Tector’s unbeaten 64 off 33 balls guided Ireland to 108/4 against India.
“Never easy when you come to the ground, do your full warmup and it’s delayed. Credit to the groundsmen. Tector batted outstandingly well to get up to the total,” said Balbirnie in a post-match presentation.
“We were good and we were bad. Against a team like India, you have to be good. Harry’s been in great form in ODI cricket and he carried that today,” he added.
After heavy rain, the assigned 20 overs were reduced to 12 per side with revised conditions. The powerplay was from one to four overs with only three bowlers who can bowl two overs and two bowlers could bowl three overs.
Hooda smashed 47 runs off 29 balls while Hardik played a knock of 24 runs off 12 balls, and helped Team India to chase down the target of 109 runs in just 9.2 overs, with seven wickets in hand. For Ireland, Craig Young was the pick among the bowlers as he scalped two wickets while Joshua Little settled with one.
For India, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Hardik, and Avesh Khan scalped one wicket apiece.
With this win, India have taken a lead by 1-0, in the two-match series and both the teams will be squaring off for the second T20I on Tuesday. (ANI)