IND vs IRE 2022, 1st T20I: Hardik Pandya backs Umran Malik to fire with old ball

Team India came up with a classy performance in the opening Twenty20 International (T20I) against Ireland. Played at the Malahide Cricket Club ground in Dublin on Sunday, the visitors rode to a seven-wicket win in a rain-truncated 12-over game. While it was a joint bowling effort from the Men in Blue, Deepak Hooda (47) was phenomenal during the chase. Meanwhile, the match was highlighted for Jammu & Kashmir pacer Umran Malik, who made his highly-anticipated debut. While he could bowl just an over, giving away 14 runs, skipper Hardik Pandya hailed him and backed him to do even better with the old ball rather than the new one.

“Great to start a series with a win. As a team, it’s imperative to start with a win. Quite happy with it. He’s [Malik] been fantastic for his franchise. But, I felt, also had a chat with him, he’ll be more comfortable with the older ball. Ireland batted fantastically. We had to go back to our main bowlers. Maybe, next game, he’ll have a full chance. Some of the shots he [Harry Tector- 64*] played were mindblowing,” Pandya said following the win on Sunday.

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In the meantime, Man of the Match Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal explained the challenges of bowling in the cold Irish conditions. He stated, “Tough [to bowl in these cold conditions]. I felt like a finger spinner today. Sometimes it’s hard, but you have to adapt to every condition. He [Pandya] gave liberty to bowl whatever I wanted to bowl. The atmosphere is pretty chilled. No, I’m not okay [with the weather]. I’m wearing three sweaters right now.”