India vs Ireland Highlights, 1st T20I in Malahide: IND 47/2; India declared winners after rain brings match to early end

India vs Ireland, 1st T20I in Dublin Preview: Jasprit Bumrah will be making his long-awaited return to action after a year-long absence in the first of three T20Is between India and Ireland in Dublin on Friday.

Bumrah will not only be bowling again in international cricket for the first time since the home series against Australia last September, he has also been named captain of a second-string Indian squad that is missing a number of first-team players, including regular skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

Bumrah, who had missed key events such as last year’s Asia Cup and T20 World Cup as well as the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Indian Premier League and the World Test Championship final this year, will be hoping to get his old rhythm back ahead of the Asia Cup and the ICC World Cup.

Ireland too will be considering the India series the starting point for next year’s T20 World Cup that will be jointly hosted by the West Indies and the USA. Ireland qualified for the mega event after finishing in the top two alongside Scotland in the European Qualifier.

Bumrah’s return to action, as well as debuts of promising youngsters including Rinku Singh and Jitesh Sharma, could be delayed with rain likely to make an appearance on Friday and hold up play at the Malahide Cricket Club Ground.

Squads:

India: Jasprit Bumrah (c), Ruturaj Gaikwad (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shivam Dube, W Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan.

Ireland: Paul Stirling (captain), Andrew Balbirnie, Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Fionn Hand, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Theo van Woerkom, Ben White, Craig Young.