1st T20I: When and where to watch IRE vs IND, know all details
Belfast, June 25
India's white-ball tour of Ireland gets underway in Belfast on Friday, with the two T20Is against Ireland offering a glimpse into a new chapter under captain Shreyas Iyer.
While the world champions enter the series as clear favourites, much of the attention will be on teenage batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who is pushing for an international debut after a breakthrough IPL 2026 campaign and a match-winning run for India A.
The 17-year-old's emergence presents an intriguing selection puzzle. India's established top order of Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Ishan Kishan has delivered consistently in recent months, leaving the team management with a difficult call on how to accommodate one of the country's brightest young talents.
The series also marks Iyer's return to the T20I setup after more than two years, with the skipper set to lead a batting unit featuring Kishan, vice-captain Tilak Varma, and several aggressive stroke-makers suited to India's attacking approach.
India have been forced into late squad adjustments after injuries ruled out Varun Chakaravarthy and Nitish Reddy, paving the way for Prince Yadav and Suryansh Shedge. The bowling combination will be another area of interest, with Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, and Prince competing for opportunities alongside spearhead Arshdeep Singh.
Ireland, meanwhile, face a daunting task after being hit by a string of injuries. New captain Lorcan Tucker will lead a depleted squad missing key players, including Paul Stirling, Mark Adair, Joshua Little, and Curtis Campher, while newcomers Matthew Hollard and Jai Moondra have earned call-ups.
History is firmly in India's favour. The visitors have never lost a completed T20I against Ireland, having won all eight previous meetings, and will be eager to maintain that record as a new era begins at Stormont.
When: Friday, June 26, 6:00 PM IST
Where: Civil Service Cricket Ground in Stormont
Where to watch: Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD and Sony Sports Ten 5 SD & HD on TV. SonyLiv will live-stream the match on its website and app.
Squads:
India: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Ravi Bishnoi, Abhishek Sharma, Suryansh Shedge, Prasidh Krishna, Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Ishan Kishan, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Shivam Dube, Prince Yadav, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Ireland: Lorcan Tucker (c), Ross Adair, Ben Calitz, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Matthew Humphreys, Gavin Hoey, Matthew Hollard, Liam McCarthy, Jai Moondra, Harry Tector, Tim Tector, and Reuben Wilson
— IANS
Reader Comments
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is the real deal – I saw him in the IPL and he looks incredibly mature for his age. But I hope the management doesn't rush him into the XI just for the sake of it. We have Sanju Samson in form, Ishan Kishan consistent, and Abhishek Sharma explosive. Maybe give him a game in the second T20I if the series is won? Also, Prince Yadav getting a call-up is well-deserved after his domestic performances. Ireland's depleted squad makes this an easy series on paper, but we must take them seriously – they nearly beat us in the ODIs last year.
I'm a bit concerned about our bowling depth without Varun Chakravarthy and Nitish Reddy. Prasidh Krishna has been expensive in internationals, and Harshit Rana is still raw. Arshdeep Singh will have to lead the attack. On the batting side, Suryansh Shedge is an interesting pick – he can smash a quick 30 and bowl a couple of overs. But honestly, this should be a comfortable 2-0 for India. Ireland missing Stirling, Little, and Adair is a huge blow for them. Good luck to Lorcan Tucker as new captain. 🇮🇳
As a neutral fan, it's exciting to see young talent like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi come through. But I do wonder if the hype sometimes puts too much pressure on teenagers. India's batting lineup is already world-class – why not let him develop in the A team for a bit longer? Anyway, big series for Shreyas Iyer – he needs to prove he can lead this team to a 2028 T20 World Cup. Ireland might be understrength, but they'll fight hard at home. Expect a competitive match, especially if the weather plays ball in Belfast. ☘️
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.