3 best batting performances for India vs Ireland in T20Is
Team India is set to travel to Ireland for a three-match T20I series. All three encounters are scheduled to be played at the Village Stadium in Dublin. The opening T20I will be played on Friday, August 18.
The Men in Blue will welcome the return of Jasprit Bumrah, who will make his comeback after a long injury layoff and will also captain the side. Apart from this, youngsters, including Jitesh Sharma, Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, and Yashasvi Jaiswal will also have opportunities to make a case for themselves.
As for Ireland, it will be a great learning experience for them. With the likes of Paul Stirling, Joshua Little, and Andrew Balbirnie on their roster, the hosts will do their best to give India a run for their money in the three T20Is.
Both India and Ireland have clashed five times in T20Is, with India winning on all five occasions. During those matches, some Indian players exhibited great batting performances.
On that note, here are three top batting knocks by Indian cricketers against Ireland in T20Is.
#3 Rohit Sharma - 97 off 61 in 2018
![Rohit Sharma missed out on a hundred against Ireland [Getty Images]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/08/feef7-16923549982972-1920.jpg?w=500)
India toured Ireland for a two-game T20I series just before their all-format tour to England in 2018. The first T20I in Dublin saw Rohit Sharma set up an easy win for the visitors.
On a slightly two-paced surface, Rohit and Shikhar Dhawan took a while to find their bearings. However, once they settled in, there was no looking back. The two ambushed a hapless Irish side and stitched up an opening stand of 160 runs.
While Dhawan got out after a well-made 74 off 45, Rohit smashed eight boundaries and five sixes during his knock of 97 off 61. The right-hander narrowly missed out on a deserving hundred as he was bowled by Peter Chase in the last over of the innings.
India went on to score 208/5 before restricting Ireland to 132/9, with Kuldeep Yadav taking a four-wicket haul.
#2 KL Rahul - 70 off 36 in 2018
![KL Rahul had a great 2018 for India [Getty Images]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/08/39770-16923561580494-1920.jpg)
After Rohit Sharma's heroics in the first T20I, it was KL Rahul who went berserk in the second game in 2018. The script was all too similar for India as they piled up a big total in the first innings before bundling out Ireland cheaply in reply.
It was KL Rahul and Virat Kohli, who opened the innings in the second T20I. Despite losing his partner early, Rahul continued his onslaught and reached to his fifty in only 28 balls.
He hammered three boundaries and six lusty maximums during his innings of 70 (off 36) and helped India register 213/4 for the first time. Suresh Raina also played his part and scored 69 runs off 45 balls.
The spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal (3/21) and Kuldeep Yadav (3/16) took six wickets between them as India skittled out Ireland for only 70 runs to win the tie by 143 runs.
#1 Deepak Hooda - 104 off 57 in 2022
![Deepak Hooda raising his bat after a hundred vs Ireland [Getty Images]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/08/1e21b-16923566248513-1920.jpg)
Probably the most impressive knock by an Indian against Ireland in T20Is came when Deepak Hooda smashed a superlative century in Dublin in 2022.
Batting first, India posted 225 for the loss of seven wickets. After the early dismissal of Ishan Kishan in the third over, Deepak Hooda and Sanju Samson stitched a lengthy partnership for 176 runs.
Promoted to bat at no. 3, Hooda was clinical with his shot selection and looked comfortable throughout his stay on the crease. He hit nine fours and six boundaries en route to his classy innings of 104 off 57 balls.
Samson also contributed with a well-made 42-ball 77 as India went on to score 225/7 in their 20 overs.
Ireland started brilliantly courtesy of their openers Paul Stirling and Andy Balbirnie. They raced to 72 with two balls left in the powerplay. Stirling scored 40 in 18 deliveries while Balbirnie hit 60 in 37 balls.
Ireland lost two wickets in quick succession after that which allowed India to roll back into the game. Harry Tector and George Dockrell played impressive cameos but failed to help Ireland cross the line as India won by four runs.