India got off to a winning start in the two-match T20I series against Ireland as they took a 1-0 lead. India beat the host Ireland by seven wickets at The Village, Malahide in Dublin on Sunday night.

Asked to bat, Ireland posted 108 for four in a rain curtailed contest which reduced the match to 12-overs-a-side. India in response chaed down the target in 9.2 overs to finish on 111 for three.

Earlier, Ireland lost their top-order cheaply to be reduced to 22 for three. Then a 50-run fourth wicket stand between Harry Tector and Lorcan Tucker took the Irish score forward. Then in the end Tector finished on a high as he ended on an unbeaten 64 off 33 balls with six boundaries and three sixes. Ireland finished on 108 for four in 12 overs. For India the best bowlers were Yuzvendra Chahal (1-11) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1-16).

In their response, India started off briskly as openers Deepak Hooda and Ishan Kishan put on 30. Then there was a 64-run third wicket stand between Hooda and captain Hardik Pandya. The chase was well and truly achieved through this stand. Pandya fell for 24 off 12 balls with a boundary and three sixes. Hooda finished unbeaten on 47 off 29 balls with six boundaries and two sixes. For Ireland the best bowler was Craig Young (2-18). 

Match Summary
Ireland: 108-4 (12)
Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Andy Balbirnie-0.5 ov), 2-6 (Paul Stirling-1.2 ov), 3-22 (Gareth Delany-3.5 ov), 4-72 (Lorcan Tucker-8.4 ov)

India: 111-3 (9.3)
Fall of wickets: 1-30 (Ishan Kishan-2.4 ov), 2-30 (Suryakumar Yadav-2.5 ov), 3-94 (Hardik Pandya-7.6 ov) 

Scorecard

Result: India won by seven wickets

Playing XIs
Ireland: Andy Balbirnie (captain), Paul Stirling, Gareth Delany, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wicket-keeper), George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Andy McBrine, Craig Young, Joshua Little, Connor Olphert

India: Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (captain), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Umran Malik

Match Details
Toss: India, elected to field
Venue: The Village, Malahide, Dublin
Start time: 1850 hrs Irish time
Match officials: Mark Hawthorne, Paul Reynolds (On-field Umpires); Roly Black (TV Umpire); Jareth McCready (Reserve Umpire); Kevin Gallagher (Match-referee) 

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