T20I series: Bumrah bowls remarkable opening spell in return match, India beats Ireland by two wickets

DURBIN: India's star pacer Jasprit Bumrah returned to international cricket with style in the opening game of the three-match T20I series against Ireland here in Durbin on Friday.

He delivered a sensational first over of the match where he dismissed two batters with his lethal bowling. Bumrah was out for a period of 11 months due to a back injury.

India beat Ireland by two runs by the Duckworth-Lewis method in a rain-curtailed match in the opener of the three-match T20I series against Ireland in Dublin on Friday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Ireland was put to bowl first and made 139/7 in their 20 overs, supported by knocks from Barry McCarthy (51* in 33 balls, four boundaries and four sixes) and Curtis Campher (39 in 33 balls, with three fours and a six).

Besides Bumrah, T20I debutant Prasidh Krishna took 2/32 in four overs while spinner Ravi Bishnoi got 2/23 in his four overs. Arshdeep Singh also got a wicket.

Chasing a modest 140-run target India got off to a solid start with openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad scoring runs at a brisk pace. Jaiswal helped India put on 10 runs in the very first over.

After the end of the first six overs of the powerplay, the opening duo had put on 45 runs.Just after the powerplay, the visitors lost their opener Yashasvi Jaiswal for 24 dismissed by medium pacer Craig Young.

In the very next ball, Craig Young dismissed Tilak Varma for a golden duck. With India on 47/2 in 6.5 overs rain interrupted the play and the players were forced to leave the field with the visitors being two runs ahead as per the Duckworth-Lewis method.

The rain did not stop and India were declared the winner by two runs and the Jasprit Bumrah-led side has now taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.