India defeated Ireland by 8 wickets at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York, on Wednesday to begin their T20 World Cup journey on a high note. The decision to bowl first proved fruitful for the Asian side, as they bundled out Ireland for a meagre 96 runs in 16 overs. Rohit and Co., in a dominant display, chased it down with 46 balls to spare.
Ireland neither had a good start nor managed to stitch together any partnership in the middle. Indian bowlers were at their lethal best and were striking at regular intervals. It was a sorry-looking scorecard for the Irish side, with Gareth Delany scoring the highest run with 26. Lorcan Tucker (10), Curtis Campher (12), and Joshua Little (14) were the other batters who reached double digits.
Hardik Pandya (3/27) starred with the ball for the men in blue, while Arshdeep Singh (2/35) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/6) were the other positives for the Asian giants. 
India lost Kholi for a mere 1 run, but Rohit Sharma (52) and Rishabh Pant (36*) played with authority, helping India cross the winning line easily with more than 7 overs to spare.
Mark Adair and Benjamin White were the only bowlers for the Irish side to get a wicket each to their names.
Key Moments of the Match:
Arshdeep Shines with the New Ball
Andrew Balbirnie and Paul Stirling negated the new ball carefully for the first two overs. But in the third over, Arshdeep Singh trapped both openers to provide India with important breakthroughs.
Hardik Pandya and Bumrah break the backbone
Pandya had a forgettable outing with bat and ball in the recently concluded IPL, but the all-rounder showed a different form wearing the India jersey. The right-arm quick bowled tight lines and lengths in the middle overs alongside ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah to extract a flurry of wickets post-powerplay. They shared five wickets together, putting the Irish side in deep waters.
‘Rohi-Rat’ – The Royal Entry
‘Who will open with Rohit Sharma in the World Cup?’ was a big bond of contention ever since the squad was announced. Putting a full stop to all arguments, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma stepped up as the two openers for the Asian Giants, only the second time in T20 internationals. However, Virat Kohli failed to entertain the fans assembled in New York to witness the masterclass.
Rohit and Pant seal the deal for India
Pant joined the Indian skipper at number three, and the pair played sensibly on the tricky strip, rotating strikes and pouncing on looseners. Rohit notched up his fifty and, in the process, achieved the 4000 T20I runs milestone. However, the Indian skipper retired hurt after completing his fifty as he copped a blow on his right shoulder off Joshua Little in the 9th over. Pant continued his merry ways and took India home.
ALSO READ
- West Indies Beat PNG in a Thrilling World Cup Match
- Can South Africa overcome the ‘Chokers’ Tag in T20 World Cup?
- Pakistan’s T20 World Cup Hope Riddled With Doubts and Dilemmas
- USA’s Sensational Victory Against Canada Sets T20 World Cup Ablaze
The humiliating defeat at the hands of India dented Ireland’s net run rate miserably (-3.065), and one more loss from here will ensure their elimination. They will face Canada at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York, on June 7.
