Ireland crumble as India seal series

DUBLIN: India thrashed Ireland by 143 runs in the second and final game on Friday, registering the joint second biggest Twenty win to seal the series 2-0. It completed a perfect warm-up for Virat Kohli and teammates before the bigger challenge of facing England in the limited-overs series.

Having hammered Ireland by 76 runs in the first T20, India went even better after scoring 213/4. KL Rahul top-scored with 70 and Suresh Raina made 69.

In reply, Ireland were bundled out for 70 in 12.3 overs. Spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav took three wickets each, once again proving the prime tormentors for the hapless home side.

Ireland never got off the blocks. Unlike in the previous game, they couldn’t comprehend the raw pace of Umesh Yadav (2-19) and Siddarth Kaul (1-4).

India’s new pace duo reduced the opposition to 22-3 within the 4th over, with Umesh removing Ireland’s experienced pairing of Paul Stirling (0) and William Porterfield (14) in successive overs.

Half-centurion from the previous game, James Shannon (2) became Kaul’s maiden international wicket.

Earlier, Rahul and Raina struck attacking half-centuries and dominated the attack. It was another dominant display from the batsmen as Rahul (70) and Raina put on 106 runs off 57 balls for the second wicket.

Brief scores: India 213/4 in 20 overs (KL Rahul 70, S Raina 69) beat Ireland 70 all out in 12.3 overs (Y Chahal 3/21, Kuldeep 3/16).