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regular-article-logo Friday, 03 May 2024

Rinku rocks, Bumrah brigade seals series as India wins second T20I against Ireland

Put into bat, India had lost momentum for a brief period following the dismissal of their top-scorer Ruturaj Gaikwad (58 off 43 balls). But Rinku Singh (38 off 21 balls) and Shivam Dube (22 not out off 16 balls) ensured India had reached where they wanted to

Our Bureau Calcutta Published 21.08.23, 09:25 AM
Rinku Singh on way to a fine cameo of 38 in the second T20I against Ireland on Sunday, in a picture posted by BCCI on X

Rinku Singh on way to a fine cameo of 38 in the second T20I against Ireland on Sunday, in a picture posted by BCCI on X

Just as he had done in his comeback game on Friday, Jasprit Bumrah once again struck twice. But on this occasion, India didn’t have to rely on the DLS method as they were able to register a comfortable 33-run win over Ireland in the second T20I at Malahide in Dublin on Sunday, which also helped them clinch the series with a game to spare.

Put into bat, India had lost momentum for a brief period following the dismissal of their top-scorer Ruturaj Gaikwad (58 off 43 balls). But Rinku Singh (38 off 21 balls) and Shivam Dube (22 not out off 16 balls) ensured India had reached where they wanted to.

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The left-handed duo smashed as many as 42 off the last two overs of the innings that propelled India to 185/5. In reply, Ireland could manage only 152/8 with opener Andy Balbirnie (72 off 51 balls) waging a lone battle.

Bumrah (2/15) may not have looked devastating in conditions that were brighter and sunnier, but his discipline and control stood out. Again, he bowled 16 dot balls and didn't concede a four or a six, striking in the last two overs of his spell.

Alongside Bumrah, his pace colleague Prasidh Krishna also continued to be amongst wickets. Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi too scalped a couple to limit Ireland. But to be fair, Bumrah and Prasidh aside, India’s bowling at times faltered, something that could have hurt them against a stronger batting unit.

In the end though, the late surge from Man of the Match Rinku and Dube proved decisive, making the target seem out of reach for the Irishmen. Opener and vice-captain Gaikwad had laid the foundation with his well-composed knock early on. But his dismissal in the 16th over off Barry McCarthy’s bowling stemmed India’s flow of runs.

The Irish bowlers hit the right areas and varied their pace that kept both Rinku and Dube quiet for the next couple of overs. After 18 overs, the team total read 143/4 with the scoring rate dipping below eight.

That’s when Rinku, in his maiden India innings, proved that his big-hitting prowess is not confined to clearing the boundaries in Kolkata Knight Riders colours in the IPL. McCarthy began with a wide in the 19th over and then pitched it wide giving Rinku the scope to free his arms. Rinku did the needful, hitting it to the third-man region for a boundary.

Thereafter, Rinku used his power to deposit a slower one over long-on for a maximum. Back-to-back-wides later, McCarthy came round the wicket and Rinku placed him up over cover for the second six of the over, which yielded India 22.

Dube, thereafter, cashed in on some freebies from Mark Adair, hitting the pacer for two maximums before Rinku hammered the third of the over comfortably over square leg. The final over of India’s innings earned them 20 runs, taking their total past 180.

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